As the winter temperature creeps in, Marquette residents and new students should be aware of the renewal of the annual parking ban in Marquette, which prohibits cars from being left on the streets during certain times of the night. 

The ban began on Nov. 1 and will continue until April 1. It affects vehicles parked on streets from 1 to 6 a.m. Drivers who leave their vehicles parked on the roads during those times of the night during the winter plowing schedule, will incur a $75 fine.

Although people often ask why the parking ban is put into effect, the northern climate makes it necessary, Marquette City Police Department Capt. Mike Laurila said.

“With the amount of snow we get here, it would be completely impossible to plow without the ban,” Laurila said. “It allows the plows to operate more effectively and efficiently.”

Visitors and first-time NMU students may not be familiar with the ban, Laurila said, but the police department attempts to warn Marquette residents of the ban far in advance through public service announcements as well as via their social media page.

The beginning of the ban is a good time to find alternative parking arrangements for vehicles, Laurila said. It is up to the individual to find non-street parking during the winter nights, and the police department will not assist drivers in finding alternate locations for their cars.