Mayor Barrett lifts winter parking restrictions in the City of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced on Monday afternoon, February 20th that effective immediately, he is lifting the winter parking restrictions in the city. Those restrictions are typically valid until March 1st.

"This should make hundreds if not thousands of people happy that they're not going to have to drive around for ten minutes now looking for a parking spot," Barrett said. "The downside is if we get belted with six or nine or 12 inches of snow, you may hear from us again. But we're living on the edge here. We're hoping that in the next eight days that we don't have any snow -- and we're willing to take this gamble."

The mayor said those parking restrictions are not in place to help raise money for the city. He said they are there to primarily help the snow plows get through the streets when it does snow.

Barrett also said the budget for city plowing and salt is looking pretty good right now. But he indicated next November and December have to be included -- so there isn't any "spiking of the football" right now.