St. Joseph snow routes can change where you park

Winter driving in St. Joseph is partly a parking question. When Phase II is declared, vehicles parked on emergency snow routes must be removed within two hours or they can be ticketed and towed. That rule is there so street crews can plow the emergency routes.

This is a city-street note, not a rule for every road in Buchanan County. The city street-maintenance division is the contact point for St. Joseph street maintenance, while county roads and state highways have separate owners. A person who lives inside St. Joseph should check the city snow-removal page before leaving a car on a signed route during a storm.

For a renter, student, or new homeowner, the safest habit is simple: learn whether your block or usual parking spot is on an emergency route before the first serious weather. If the road is outside city maintenance, start with the county or MoDOT instead.