parking in minneapolis in winter
Oct 23rd, 2008, 06:15 PM
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parking in minneapolis in winter
I'm hoping to get advice from the locals. 
My daughter will be moving to Minneapolis in May and will be looking for an apt. She especially likes "vintage" places (where I assume a garage isn't typical) but has been advised by her future coworkers that she needs to find an apt with indoor, heated parking. What do you think? Necessary? BTW, she's relocating from Chicago where she's kept a car parked on the street all year round -- and she grew up in Boston. How tough are the winter temps and the snowfall? Garage a must?
My daughter will be moving to Minneapolis in May and will be looking for an apt. She especially likes "vintage" places (where I assume a garage isn't typical) but has been advised by her future coworkers that she needs to find an apt with indoor, heated parking. What do you think? Necessary? BTW, she's relocating from Chicago where she's kept a car parked on the street all year round -- and she grew up in Boston. How tough are the winter temps and the snowfall? Garage a must?
Oct 23rd, 2008, 06:21 PM
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Even with her Chicago and Boston experience, I would still highly suggest a garage. Not only would she probably not want to deal with the cold, snow, and ice, she'd especially not want to deal with the snow emergency parking rules and having to move her car all the time.
Check out this link for more details.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow/parking-info.asp
Also, not exactly sure where exactly in the city she's interested, but I hear a lot of complaints about Uptown and parking (even in the summer, I guess it's impossible to find a street spot).
Best of luck
Check out this link for more details.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow/parking-info.asp
Also, not exactly sure where exactly in the city she's interested, but I hear a lot of complaints about Uptown and parking (even in the summer, I guess it's impossible to find a street spot).
Best of luck
Oct 23rd, 2008, 06:58 PM
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If the place comes with a garage, great. If not, she knows how to deal with it. It's not a necessity. Indoor heated parking is funny.
I disagree about the snow emergency parking rules. They are pretty simple to understand and not that hard to deal with. Depends on where she lives, but most garages are accessed via alley - and guess what's the last thing to get plowed in a snow emergency? Yep, the alley.
I agree it's tough to find on-street parking in Uptown, but get a few blocks away and it's not bad. The worst streets are the ones with an apartment building or two on them - otherwise the streets that are filled with duplexes and quads are generally OK for finding on-street parking. I lived about 10 blocks from Lake/Hennepin for 6 years and almost always parked right in front of the house. A bad day was when I had to park at the end of the block instead of right in the middle.
I disagree about the snow emergency parking rules. They are pretty simple to understand and not that hard to deal with. Depends on where she lives, but most garages are accessed via alley - and guess what's the last thing to get plowed in a snow emergency? Yep, the alley.
I agree it's tough to find on-street parking in Uptown, but get a few blocks away and it's not bad. The worst streets are the ones with an apartment building or two on them - otherwise the streets that are filled with duplexes and quads are generally OK for finding on-street parking. I lived about 10 blocks from Lake/Hennepin for 6 years and almost always parked right in front of the house. A bad day was when I had to park at the end of the block instead of right in the middle.
Oct 23rd, 2008, 07:57 PM
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Just to clarify my previous comment about parking near Uptown: north of Uptown (in the direction of downtown Minneapolis) I would say parking will be more of a hassle. However, several blocks south and east of Uptown the neighborhoods tend to be more single family homes and duplexes, and on-street parking is easier to find. There are other neighborhoods with 'vintage' places where parking isn't much of an issue either.
As for winter, I think Minneapolis is colder with less snow than Chicago or Boston. I'm not positive, that's just my guess based on what I see on the news for those other cities compared to here. You can easily check the averages for the 3 cities and get a more precise answer.
As for winter, I think Minneapolis is colder with less snow than Chicago or Boston. I'm not positive, that's just my guess based on what I see on the news for those other cities compared to here. You can easily check the averages for the 3 cities and get a more precise answer.
Oct 24th, 2008, 02:19 PM
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Garage parking is a nice to have but certainly not a neccesity. I moved up here from TX 11 years ago and I didn't have garage parking for the first 2 years. It was fine. Yes you had deal with de-icing your car, snow removal, etc. But it sounds like she's used to similar conditions from her time in Chicago and Boston.
I lived in the Uptown area and my apartment had it's own parking lot so parking was never an issue. Hope this helps and good luck to your daughter!
I lived in the Uptown area and my apartment had it's own parking lot so parking was never an issue. Hope this helps and good luck to your daughter!
Oct 24th, 2008, 02:56 PM
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As a native Chicagoan who went to school for a year in Minneapolis and regularly visits relatives there, I'll put in my two cents. A garage is always nice to have anywhere it is cold and snowy, but not a necessity. A heated garage? Pretty sure this would be REALLY hard to find, but a garage would provide shelter from the wind, snow, etc., so the car would be protected.
I do think it is MUCH colder than Chicago, and with more snow. The difference I found was that, at the first sound of a car spinning its wheels, people came out to help push, something that never happens in Chicago.
I do think it is MUCH colder than Chicago, and with more snow. The difference I found was that, at the first sound of a car spinning its wheels, people came out to help push, something that never happens in Chicago.
Oct 24th, 2008, 06:00 PM
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The past few winters have seen more snow in Chicago than in Mpls. Temps are a bit colder here, but only about by 10 degrees or so on average. Snow emergencies are the same every time...you just have to pay attention. If it snows more than 3-4 inches, they'll declare an emergency at some point...pay attention and move your car when needed. Indoor heated garage usually means large suburban complex - not vintage apt. Hope this helps.
Oct 27th, 2008, 10:14 AM
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MANY THANKS, everyone, for the helpful responses! Keeping with the wintery theme, I have another question. I understand the "digging out your car" issue. That's pretty much the same any place with snow. But how cities manage snow removal varies like crazy. How well is this done in Minneapolis? Hercurrent car is an 11 year old Civic and will be replaced by something newer pre- the Minneapolis. Four wheel drive a valuable option? It wasn't needed in Chicago but would have been handy in Boston (hills) and Ann Arbor (plowing stinks.)
I understand the "digging out your car" issue. That's pretty much the same any place with snow. But how cities manage snow removal varies like crazy. How well is this done in Minneapolis? Hercurrent car is an 11 year old Civic and will be replaced by something newer pre- the Minneapolis. Four wheel drive a valuable option? It wasn't needed in Chicago but would have been handy in Boston (hills) and Ann Arbor (plowing stinks.)
Oct 27th, 2008, 11:33 AM
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Plowing is decent here. 4WD is nice but not necessary. As I mentioned above, most garage parking access is via an alley. (Not the case if she goes with some large heated garage, but most duplexes, etc. with garages have them behind the house)
If she gets a garage, the alleys aren't plowed as well as the streets and are sometimes slanted a bit and narrow. It's not hard to slide off to one side and either get stuck or hit a building. On-street parking just means she'll have to dig out and move her car when plowing occurs. I've seen more cars stuck in the alleys than on the streets.
Snow emergencies are declared before 6pm. If the city hasn't declared a snow emergency by 6pm, they'll wait until the next day. There's a set of rules about snow emergencies on the city website - basically parking rules are enforced in 3 stages. Day 1 from 9pm until 8 am, anyone on a snow emergency route must be off the street. Then from 8am to 8pm on day 2, you can park on snow emergency routes and the odd side of other streets. Day 3 from 8am to 8pm you can park on snow emergency routes and the even side of other streets.
Once the street is plowed clear to the curb you can park on it, even if it's between the above-mentioned hours. Essentially what the rules mean is only residents on snow emergency routes have to worry about their cars being towed overnight - everyone else will drive off to work by 8am (presumably) and their street will most likely be plowed before they get home that evening. However, they still have to mind the side they park on, as it'll take 2 days to get both sides plowed completely.
I've only lived on snow emergency routes and it's quite nice because they're the first to be plowed. So my view of how well streets are plowed may be a bit skewed because I never have to wait a couple days. I'd recommend she factor that into her apartment searching if she goes with on-street parking. Either find something on a snow emergency route or close to one so she's not stuck on some street that's near the end of the line for plowing.
If she gets a garage, the alleys aren't plowed as well as the streets and are sometimes slanted a bit and narrow. It's not hard to slide off to one side and either get stuck or hit a building. On-street parking just means she'll have to dig out and move her car when plowing occurs. I've seen more cars stuck in the alleys than on the streets.
Snow emergencies are declared before 6pm. If the city hasn't declared a snow emergency by 6pm, they'll wait until the next day. There's a set of rules about snow emergencies on the city website - basically parking rules are enforced in 3 stages. Day 1 from 9pm until 8 am, anyone on a snow emergency route must be off the street. Then from 8am to 8pm on day 2, you can park on snow emergency routes and the odd side of other streets. Day 3 from 8am to 8pm you can park on snow emergency routes and the even side of other streets.
Once the street is plowed clear to the curb you can park on it, even if it's between the above-mentioned hours. Essentially what the rules mean is only residents on snow emergency routes have to worry about their cars being towed overnight - everyone else will drive off to work by 8am (presumably) and their street will most likely be plowed before they get home that evening. However, they still have to mind the side they park on, as it'll take 2 days to get both sides plowed completely.
I've only lived on snow emergency routes and it's quite nice because they're the first to be plowed. So my view of how well streets are plowed may be a bit skewed because I never have to wait a couple days. I'd recommend she factor that into her apartment searching if she goes with on-street parking. Either find something on a snow emergency route or close to one so she's not stuck on some street that's near the end of the line for plowing.
Oct 27th, 2008, 01:36 PM
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Kellie-maybe your brother spilled beer outside his car.
I live in Mpls. - I'd get a garage just for the safety factor. It also rains here, along with snowing so it's nice on those days as well.
"Vintage" places are closer to the city--like Uptown as mentioned above. Where will she be working or going to school?
I live in Mpls. - I'd get a garage just for the safety factor. It also rains here, along with snowing so it's nice on those days as well.
"Vintage" places are closer to the city--like Uptown as mentioned above. Where will she be working or going to school?
Oct 27th, 2008, 02:19 PM
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Four wheel drive isn't essential (sure is nice though), but I wouldn't be without (at least) FRONT wheel drive. Rear wheel drive cars just don't cut it here. She'll also waant a good set of anti-lock brakes.
If she parks outdoors, I'd suggest one of those dip-stick, plug-in, electric heaters for her car. They can make a world of difference starting an older car in the dead of winter. I think you can buy them at any auto parts store.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...?Category=3357
If she parks outdoors, I'd suggest one of those dip-stick, plug-in, electric heaters for her car. They can make a world of difference starting an older car in the dead of winter. I think you can buy them at any auto parts store.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...?Category=3357
Oct 27th, 2008, 02:37 PM
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Front wheel drive for sure, 4-wheel isn't necessary unless she is an emergency worker who will have to drive on unplowed streets after a major blizzard; or will be doing lots of country or off-road driving. Mpls is FLAT! And they do a good job of plowing the streets, as others have noted.
Our SUV was shaky in snowy conditions, as taller vehicles tend to be. The best safety features, IMO, are front wheel drive, anti-lock brakes and good snow tires.
Our SUV was shaky in snowy conditions, as taller vehicles tend to be. The best safety features, IMO, are front wheel drive, anti-lock brakes and good snow tires.
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