UPDATE: The city of Fargo is set to begin urgent snow removal operations in downtown starting late Sunday night, December 14. Officials have warned that any vehicles left parked in the designated snow removal zones will be impounded to facilitate the clearing process.
As heavy snowfall has made parking increasingly difficult, city officials are moving quickly to alleviate the situation. According to Public Works Services Manager Corey Houim, snow removal will commence Sunday night and continue into Monday morning, targeting east-west avenues first. “We weren’t sure when we would bring our contracted trucks in, so the safest bet was to bring them in Sunday night,” Houim explained.
Local residents, including Charley Setterlund, a student at North Dakota State University, have expressed their frustrations about parking challenges amid the winter weather. “Looking for a spot to parallel park is normally easier in the summers,” Setterlund noted. He described the anxiety of maneuvering into a tight parking spot partially covered by a snowbank.
As the snow removal operation gets underway, Houim urged pedestrians to maintain a safe distance from the work zones. “The equipment is very loud, and we are moving and backing up, so please be aware of that,” Houim stated.
With the first round of snow removal scheduled, residents can still park on streets facing north and south. However, many community members are calling for earlier action to avoid complications during weekend festivities. “These streets get a lot of traffic. As the weekend approaches, people like to walk around and look at the lights, so I can see that being an issue for sure,” Setterlund added.
The city encourages all residents to plan accordingly and remove their vehicles from the snow removal zones to avoid impoundment. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.
