Local News

Where should I put my car during Tuesday’s snow emergency?

Here are all the rules for space savers and parking around Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, and Quincy.

A car navigates Wendell St. during a slush-heavy morning in Cambridge on Jan. 7, 2024. Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

By Molly Farrar

February 12, 2024

2 minutes to read

Boston — all municipal buildings, public schools, and libraries — will be shutting down Tuesday in preparation for the year’s first major snowfall.

While some meteorologists are predicting less snow than originally anticipated, the City of Boston already has a plan in place for 8 to 12 inches of snow starting early Tuesday morning through the afternoon.

The snow emergency will begin at 10 p.m. Monday evening, after which all cars cannot be parked on major roads and arteries in Boston, punishable by a ticket and a tow. The city has a full list of these streets by neighborhood, which includes Commonwealth Avenue in Back Bay, Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury, and Centre Street in Jamaica Plain.

Drivers are also not allowed to park in BPS parking lots.

For those looking for a spot Monday night, garages across the city are discounted for Boston residents starting at 8 p.m. Monday night until two hours after the end of the snow emergency. Some garages are free for their neighborhood, while others are discounted for all residents. The city published a list of all participating garages by neighborhood.

What about space savers?

While your car is parked away from the plows, Boston residents can also use space savers to claim a coveted street spot during a snowstorm. A time-honored tradition, space savers can be any object — including lawn chairs, trash cans, or cones — staking claim to a spot in a plowed street.

Space savers, which are banned only in the South End and Bay Village, can save a parking space up to 48 hours after the end of a snow emergency. Then, the saver should be removed from the street.

For the rest of the city, cars should be parked 20 feet away from intersections and close to the curb. The city also said to look out for blocked mufflers before starting a car due to carbon monoxide.

For Boston’s neighboring drivers

Boston’s largest neighbors — Somerville, Cambridge, Brookline, and Quincy — have their own rules and parking bans amid a snow emergency.

As of Monday evening, Cambridge is not declaring an emergency parking ban, but public school is canceled Tuesday.

In Brookline, all on-street parking is banned starting 7 a.m. Tuesday morning until the next day.

Quincy’s snow emergency begins at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning, when about 70 main streets will be closed to all parking. Cars can be parked on the odd side of all other streets.

In Somerville, all cars need to be parked on the odd numbered side of the street starting at 7 p.m. Monday night.

(1/3) SNOW EMERGENCY 2/12/24 – Based on current weather forecasts, the City is declaring a snow emergency effective 7pm on Monday, Feb. 12. Beginning at 7pm, cars will have 4 hours (until 11pm) to move to the ODD side of the street. Any exceptions will be noted by nearby signs. pic.twitter.com/Wona3GQyMu
— City of Somerville (@SomervilleCity) February 12, 2024