Harrisburg, PA Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)

Harrisburg Codified Ordinances § 3-107.5 gives the Mayor or a designee the power to declare a snow emergency. The trigger is the Mayor's own judgment that snow or ice on city streets causes or will cause serious traffic congestion. The Mayor or designee announces the proclamation through the news media. The routes appear on Traffic Control Map H, Snow Emergency Routes, adopted in § 3-109.1, and the streets carry signs bearing the words "Snow Emergency Route."

Two duties follow once an emergency is declared. First, no vehicle can be parked on a snow emergency route. Second, no noncommercial passenger vehicle can be operated on a snow emergency route without skid chains, winter-type mud or snow tires, or operative mechanical or electrical sanders and abrasive sanding material. The code defines winter-type tires as new, recapped, retreaded or rebuilt tires with anti-skid patterns cut or impressed into the tread to form bars, buttons or blocks.

Street cleaning is a separate system under § 3-131.3. The Director of the Department of Public Works develops a schedule of four-hour routes to sweep, remove snow or otherwise clean each City street twice per month. The schedule is filed with the City Clerk and the City Engineer and is available for inspection during normal business hours, and the four-hour periods must be posted at intervals along each street. No parking is permitted on the side of the street scheduled for cleaning during that period. Under § 3-109.1B, no penalty attaches if street sweeping is not carried out in that zone on that date.

Towing is the enforcement tool. Section 3-131.3E makes a vehicle parked in a restricted cleaning area subject to towing and impoundment under Chapter 3-135, in addition to the fines for unlawful parking. Section 3-135.2C(4) lets the Bureau of Police remove, through a salvor, any vehicle parked in a manner that impedes snow removal equipment or other emergency equipment.