St. Paul declares snow emergency; night plow 9 p.m. Monday, day plow 8 a.m. Tuesday
St. Paul has declared a snow emergency beginning at 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, with night‑plow routes overnight and day‑plow routes starting 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30 — blocks without a “night plow” sign are treated as day‑plow routes and parking will be prohibited during that phase. The declaration follows a winter storm that dropped roughly 5–7 inches (MSP 5.8"), and the city has entered enforcement with ticketing and towing of violators (St. Paul issued 3,253 tickets and towed 952 vehicles during the recent snow‑emergency period); Minneapolis has overlapping snow‑emergency phases and parking rules for Monday.
📌 Key Facts
- St. Paul declared a snow emergency beginning 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29 (night-plow phase), with day-plow routes starting 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30.
- The declaration follows a winter storm that dropped about 5–7 inches across the Twin Cities; MSP officially recorded 5.8 inches.
- St. Paul typically declares a snow emergency when a storm drops at least 3 inches, which is why this event triggered the declaration.
- The snow-emergency enforcement phase is in effect: city officials have begun ticketing and towing vehicles that violate snow-emergency parking rules.
- During a recent snow emergency, St. Paul issued 3,253 tickets and towed 952 vehicles (Twincities reporting).
- Parking rule detail: blocks without a “night plow” sign are designated day-plow routes, and parking is prohibited on those blocks during the day-plow phase.
- Minneapolis has overlapping snow-emergency phases and parking rules for Monday, offering cross-city context drivers should be aware of.
📊 Relevant Data
In Minnesota, almost 80% of White people live in a household with access to two or more cars or trucks, but less than 50% of Black people do, highlighting disparities in vehicle access that can exacerbate risks during winter weather events.
Race and Transportation Trend Analysis — Minnesota GO
In Minneapolis, Black residents, who comprise 19% of the population, represent 26% of people killed in vehicle crashes between 2017 and 2021, indicating a 1.37 times overrepresentation relative to their population share.
Safety data — City of Minneapolis
In Minneapolis, Native American residents, who comprise 1% of the population, represent 4% of people killed in vehicle crashes between 2017 and 2021, indicating a 4 times overrepresentation relative to their population share.
Safety data — City of Minneapolis
Snow emergency towing and fines in Minneapolis disproportionately affect low-income, non-English speaking residents of color, with the majority of fines and fees extracted from low-income neighborhoods due to language barriers, limited resources for compliance, and underfunded transit options.
When snow falls, money flows ... from those who can afford it the least — MinnPost
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms this specific snow emergency begins at 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, with night plow routes first and day plow routes starting 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30.
- Clarifies that if a block does not have a “night plow” sign, it is a day plow route and parking is prohibited there during the day plow phase.
- Links the declaration directly to Sunday’s winter storm that dropped 5–7 inches on the Twin Cities, noting MSP officially recorded 5.8" and listing several local snowfall totals.
- Notes that St. Paul typically declares a snow emergency only when a storm drops at least 3 inches of snow, underscoring why this event triggered one.
- Provides a brief status update on Minneapolis’ overlapping snow-emergency phases and parking rules for Monday, allowing cross‑city context.
- St. Paul issued 3,253 tickets during the recent snow emergency.
- The city towed 952 vehicles during the same period.
- The snow emergency in St. Paul is continuing into the enforcement phase.
- City officials have begun ticketing and towing vehicles that violate snow-emergency parking rules.