Lisa Rideout’s Sign Sums It up For Many at a Rally in Portland on Climate Change Several Years Ago.  (That Makes Two of Us, Lisa)!

By Early Afternoon There were no Spots Left on the Eastern Prom Snow Parking Area.

Hannaford Brothers on Forest Avenue Was Strangely Quiet Early This Afternoon.

The city of Portland announced this morning a parking ban for tonight, Thursday, December 17th.  It starts at 10:00 pm and runs through 6:00 am on Friday, December 18th.

Vehicles left on city streets after 10:00 pm can be towed to the Ocean Gateway Parking Lot on the Portland waterfront at owner’s expense. For more information, please call the Ocean Gateway Parking Lot at 774-3025. All parking tickets must be paid before the vehicle will be released.  The towing fee which is $135. must be paid in advance as well.  The Ocean Gateway Parking Lot will be open on Saturday, December 19 between 7:00 am until 10:00 am.  After that the public must go to the Portland Police Department, Middle Street, to pay fees to retrieve cars.  If that doesn’t work for you, you will have to wait until next week to get your car back from the city.  On Monday, go to city hall, Congress Street Parking Division between Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm to make final deal to get cars released from captivity!

Portland is expected to receive 8 – 12 inches of snow during this storm, with precipitation expected to end between 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm.  The city is calling a parking ban to push back and clean up streets following the accumulation.

The city offers numerous free options for parking on the peninsula during a snow ban.  These lots are available after 5:00 pm on weekdays on the day a ban is called unless otherwise posted.

MHN.com shoveled out its car early this afternoon and drove from Munjoy Hill down to Hannaford Brothers on Forest Avenue.  The only issue was a disagreement with a Metro bus driver behind me; He didn’t like my cautious driving on Congress Street, but MHN.com won the war of words!

When a favorite newspaper from New York wasn’t available, this blogger left Hannafords and returned to Munjoy Hill.  Staying in the exact and precise center of Congress Street prevented any problems with snow issues. (No Metro bus drivers were sighted)!  Several plow trucks were on the road but fewer cars were spotted.  The plow drivers have a lot of work to do – a lot!

By early afternoon the snow ban parking areas on Cutter Street and the Eastern Promenade on Munjoy Hill were full.

TO FIND OUT IF A SNOW PARKING BAN IS IN EFFECT, YOU CAN:

SIGN UP for automatic e-mail or text notification on the city’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov/StayConnected or by texting ‘Join Parking Ban’ to 30890.