Purdue police urge students to be aware of WL snow emergency route city ordinance

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are reminding the campus community that any cars parked along campus streets over winter break are subject to ticketing and towing in the event of a snowfall significant enough to require street plowing.

The city of West Lafayette last year passed a snow emergency route ordinance. The ordinance states that a snow emergency will be declared when there is an accumulation of 2 or more inches of snow or ice, and that the vehicle owner is responsible for moving it from the snow emergency route. Violators will be ticketed and towed to the vendor storage lot.

Before winter break began, students were asked to park in the campus garages before they departed from campus until they return in January.

Emergency snow routes include Airport Road, Grant Street and Russell Street, which are often used by students who seek longer term street parking, as well as State Street.

“Two inches of snow is not a large amount for December in Indiana,” said Keene Red Elk, Purdue deputy police chief. “We don’t want a student to park their vehicle along an emergency snow route then leave for break only to come back to find their car ticketed 

Media contact: Jim Bush, 765-336-1909, jsbush@purdue.edu