HARRISBURG – Mayor Eric Papenfuse says the travel ban for the City of Harrisburg will end at 5 a.m. Monday, but he is not encouraging people to drive into the City. He also has announced that the MLK Government Center will be closed on Monday as Public Works crews try to clear more than 30 inches of snow from city streets.
“Streets remain hazardous, and we may have to close some streets over the next few days,” Mayor Papenfuse said. “We still have a lot of work to do clearing out this massive amount of snow that has struck our City.”
The Mayor has closed City Hall on Monday, meaning all non-essential personnel do not have to report to work. Many side streets and alleys in Harrisburg are impassable, and Public Works crews will need several days to remove the snow.
To help City residents deal with the emergency situation, SP Plus is allowing residents to park free in the Locust Street Garage through 6 a.m. Tuesday.
“We want to thank Nancy Keim and SP Plus for their cooperation and support for the residents of Harrisburg,” Mayor Papenfuse said. “This will make it much easier for us to keep cars off the street as we remove the snow.”
Over the next few days, Public Works crews will be using heavy loaders to haul snow to City Island. People should obey all parking signs and not park on snow emergency routes.
The Mayor declared a Disaster Emergency in Harrisburg early Saturday, and he instituted a travel ban Saturday evening.
The Disaster Emergency declaration was implemented to make it easier for city officials to secure the equipment, resources and personnel needed to battle the severe weather. The Disaster Emergency opened the door for the City to receive financial support from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
Residents are asked to cooperate in the aftermath of the storm in the following ways:
— Residents and businesses are asked to shovel sidewalks in front of their properties
— Please do not use snow blowers to blow snow back into the street
— Residents and business owners are asked not to place chairs or obstacles in parking spaces
— Businesses and mutli-family residences should clear snow around dumpsters to allow trucks access
