Cars and trucks parked on Bridge Avenue early Tuesday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank police issued a near-record number of parking violations during the snowstorm that began Sunday, redbankgreen has learned.

A view along South Street at about 5:30 a.m. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, police had issued 254 citations for violations of a 2017 law that requires vehicles be removed from all streets during and immediately after snowstorms to allow for plowing, Chief Darren McConnell said.

Twice in 2018, police issued 260 parking violations during storms, setting apparent records that had not since been approached.

With electronic technology, police don’t have to get out of their cars to write the $38 tickets, and so nothing is left to be buried by snow on the windshield. Thus, owners of ticketed vehicles won’t know they’ve been cited until a violation notice arrives in the mail several days later.

“But if they did not move their car, they can pretty much assume they’re going to receive a summons in the coming days,” McConnell said.

On Sunday, the borough issued a storm warning notice on its website and via text alert reminding residents of the prohibition. As in past storms, residents who don’t have access to off-street private parking were allowed to leave their vehicles in town parking lots at no charge.

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