With a powerful nor'easter bearing down on eastern Massachusetts, Tewksbury has thrown up the red light on curbside parking. The town activated a winter storm parking ban at 4 p.m. Sunday, prohibiting on-street parking and warning that vehicles left in the roadway may be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense. Officials say the restriction will stay in place until the storm ends and crews clear the streets so snowplows and emergency vehicles can move safely.
According to the Tewksbury Police Department, the ban took effect at 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 22 and will remain in place "until the storm has ended and roads have been cleared." Any vehicle left on the roadway is subject to towing at the owner's expense. Police urged residents to pull cars off public streets so Department of Public Works crews can plow safely and keep emergency lanes open.
Tewksbury's overnight parking rules already make it unlawful to park on public streets "when it is snowing or when icy conditions exist," and they give the DPW superintendent authority to remove vehicles that interfere with snow removal, according to the Town of Tewksbury. The town notes that inquiries about towed vehicles should be made at the police station.
What drivers need to do
Drivers without off-street options are being told to move vehicles into legal municipal lots or private driveways before the ban kicks in, since cars left on public ways are subject to towing. If your vehicle is towed, contact the Tewksbury Police Department at (978) 640‑4385 for release information and instructions. Residents who want storm alerts can enroll in CodeRED or monitor updates on the town's municipal site.
Why the ban was declared
The National Weather Service has issued blizzard and winter-storm warnings for parts of eastern Massachusetts, forecasting heavy snow and damaging winds beginning Sunday evening and continuing into Monday, conditions that can produce whiteouts and slow plow operations. NWS products show warnings taking effect Sunday afternoon, prompting municipalities to clear streets in advance in order to protect public safety and keep roadways passable, according to the National Weather Service.
Similar parking bans are popping up across the region. Saugus has declared a town-wide ban beginning Sunday night, and Marblehead has announced a snow emergency with towing warnings, underscoring a broader North Shore effort to give plows enough room to operate.
Tewksbury officials say the local ban will be lifted only after the storm ends and crews have cleared the roads. Residents are advised to check the Town of Tewksbury website or the police department's social channels for the latest updates and for information on towed vehicles. Moving cars off the street now, they note, can help speed up plowing and cut the risk of an expensive tow.
