Last Sunday, a roughly half-mile stretch of Stockton Drive in Lincoln Park quietly flipped into a tow zone, and neighbors say they never got the memo. By morning, more than 80 cars were gone, their owners stuck in long impound lines and shelling out several hundred dollars to get their vehicles back. Several drivers also reported new bumper and fender damage after the tow.
Neighbors told Block Club Chicago they did not see any temporary no-parking signs before leaving their cars on Stockton Drive overnight and were stunned to find the street cleared by morning. The outlet reported that several people paid roughly $300 to $450 to retrieve their cars from the city impound. City rules require that temporary tow-zone signs be posted at least 24 hours before towing begins and prohibit towing fees if the signs have not been up that long, according to the Chicago Municipal Code.
Parade Map and Alderman Resources Diverged
According to PRIDEChicago, Stockton Drive does not appear on the group’s published list of no-parking zones for parade day. The 44th Ward’s parade resource page, however, lists Stockton Drive from Cannon Drive to Fullerton Avenue as part of the parade disbanding and closure area. That split between organizer guidance and aldermanic materials left some neighbors unsure where they were supposed to look for an official heads-up before the event.
City Says Signs Were Up, Neighbors Say They Were Not
The Department of Streets and Sanitation told Block Club Chicago that crews posted temporary no-parking signs along Stockton Drive on the Wednesday and Thursday before the parade. Officials said work crews installed 26 “tow away” signs on the stretch and ultimately removed 81 vehicles. Several neighbors, however, told the outlet they checked for signs the night before the parade and did not see any, and some said their cars appeared to have new damage after being towed.
How To Track a Towed Car and What To Do Next
Drivers whose vehicles were towed can call 3-1-1 or use the city’s online lookup tool, where searches can be done by license plate or VIN. The official portal is available from the City of Chicago, and PRIDEChicago also directs people to 3-1-1 for information on how to recover their vehicles. If you believe your car was improperly towed or damaged, neighbors and officials alike recommend taking photos and filing a report through 3-1-1 or with the Department of Streets and Sanitation so there is an official record.
Residents say they want clearer and earlier notice before large events, along with an explanation from the city about how tow-zone postings are timed. That 24-hour requirement in the Municipal Code is at the center of their frustration, and neighbors say they expect answers about whether it was followed on Stockton Drive.
