City tows cars in plows’ path

If you’re having trouble finding the car you parked in Browne’s Addition, it’s very likely that it was towed by the city, which is plowing streets after last week’s snowstorm.

The city had 16 vehicles removed on Tuesday after warning residents not to park on north-south streets in the neighborhood. Streets are so narrow in the historic neighborhood that plows cannot pass where cars are parked, city officials say.

The tow trucks and plows sent some residents scrambling Tuesday.

With a snowplow approaching, Jessi-Kiah Charles hurriedly dug her car out on Cannon Street. Charles said she hadn’t seen the city’s warnings to move cars.

“I don’t watch TV, so I didn’t know,” Charles said.

The 16-car total set no records. By comparison, more than 30 cars were towed by the city while plows cleared north-south streets in 2000.

Browne’s Addition is the last neighborhood to see plows following last week’s snowstorm, which prompted the city to declare a stage 2 snow emergency. Plowing in Browne’s Addition continues Wednesday on east-west streets, where cars will be towed if not moved by 9 a.m.

It looks as though Spokane will see a reprieve from snowy weather in coming days. A Wednesday night storm will go from rain to snow and back to rain and snow as temperatures cool overnight and then go back up on Thursday morning.

A wind advisory takes effect for the urban areas, the Palouse region and Columbia Basin this morning starting at 1 a.m. Gusts in some areas may reach 50 mph, but the forecast for Spokane is currently calling for steady winds to 20 mph.

If you believe your vehicle was towed, call (509) 625-4100 and have your vehicle identification and license plate numbers ready.