LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) -- Tuesday's snow meant a busy day for the La Crosse public works department.
Public works director Dale Hexom said plows began clearing the streets roughly two hours after the snowfall began at approximately 4 a.m.
Alternate side parking was in effect for most of the city per usual procedure, and Hexom said the areas around the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, which are typically exempted, were issued advance notice that they too had to comply with the alternate side parking guidelines.
Hexom said alternate side parking will be in effect for up to four days following the storm. He added it could be canceled earlier.
But, like any system, La Crosse's efforts to better prepare streets for the snow plows are not without complication.
"Alternate side parking is only in effect from 1 a.m. until 6 a.m. so really, by the time crews hit the streets to start plowing, alternate side parking had already expired for today," Hexom said. "Which means in some neighborhoods, cars were parked on both sides of the street."
During La Crosse's last winter storm, the department of public works handed out harsher sanctions to those who violated alternate side parking rules -- requiring they pay up to triple in parking fines. The city was also authorized to tow non-compliant vehicles.
Hexom said he doesn't anticipate enforcing those measures this week.
"We're not anticipating doing that because of what the weather later this week is supposed to be like," Hexom said. "It's supposed to warm back up. We're hoping it warms up enough that a lot of the snow we're having today will start melting off.
