Mpls. will use traffic signs to warn of snow emergencies

Snow emergency sign
An electronic traffic sign displays snow emergency information during a demonstration of the new system along Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012.
MPR Photo/Jennifer Simonson

Minneapolis city officials are adding one more way to notify residents of snow emergencies.

This winter, traffic signs in downtown Minneapolis that direct people to parking or designate public transit lanes will now tell people if a snow emergency is in effect.

The city will continue other ways of notifying people, including encouraging them to sign up to receive alerts by email, phone, text and Facebook.

"We're going to keep improving the process we have, but we need people to be our partners," said Mayor R.T. Rybak. "We need you to remind that neighbor or friend who's leaving their car out there to pay attention, get signed up early now before the snow flies and then we won't have any problem on that snowy day. You can go cross-country ski or build a snowman instead of go to the impound lot."

Most of the towing during snow emergencies occurs in the Uptown area of Minneapolis and near the University of Minnesota.