"Doable but kind of a pain": Neighbors navigate one-sided parking in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS – To improve accessibility on the narrow streets of Minneapolis, the city implemented new winter parking restrictions that took effect on Jan. 26. Within a few days it was apparent that not all drivers were complying with the changes.

Some drivers told WCCO they were not aware of the change, while others said they were confused with the rules in their neighborhood.

"I just thought I was lucky and found a spot!" Mandi Lancette said.

Lancette lives in Eagan and came to Minneapolis for dinner Sunday night. She said she wasn't aware about the parking rules.

"We're going to go move the car. We don't want to come out in this cold to no car," she said.

The change was prompted by safety concerns in the narrow roads.

"If there's a fire, if someone has a heart attack, we need to have the streets in a way that large vehicles can move down them," Minneapolis Public Works Director Margaret Anderson Kelliher said.

Under the new rules, cars will no longer be permitted to park on the even sides of streets in Minneapolis on non-snow emergency routes. Some streets may have additional signage due to additional restrictions on those streets. 

Ticketing and towing will begin tomorrow after 9 p.m. 

The new parking ordinance will be in effect until April 1, the official end of Minnesota's snow season unless conditions improve.

"It's been a bit of a hassle but I guess we gotta do what we gotta do," Trent Nelson said.

Nelson lives in Northeast Minneapolis. The snow has shrunk space at his apartment building's parking lot so sometimes he needs to find a parking spot on the street.

"It's a bit more walking, people are more spread out but it's doable but kind of a pain," he said.

Nelson said his sons live in Uptown and have had longer frigid walks due to lack of parking space.

"We are all doing the best we can I hope we can get through it together," he said.

WCCO reached out to the City of Minneapolis to learn how many people have been ticketed or towed since the start of the new parking changes. New numbers are expected to be available Monday, a spokesperson said.