Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter

City suspends courtesy towing pilot project

May 19, 2016 | 10:30 AM

LETHBRIDGE – The City of Lethbridge has suspended its courtesy towing pilot project for street sweeping.

The project, which took place on the southside, included advance notices and the moving and returning of vehicles at no cost to the owner.

Lee Perkins, Transportation Operations Manager for the City of Lethbridge, said the costs and logistics of moving vehicles has become too much for the city.

“The additional advanced notices we introduced this year were well received and are something we plan to continue,” he said. “But the moving of vehicles has become too time consuming due to the high volume of people choosing to ignore all our requests to move or park their vehicles elsewhere for street sweeping.”

He said current city bylaws allow the city to shift costs of towing onto vehicle owners who violate any posted no parking signs, even temporary ones.

The city will be reviewing its options, including ticketing and towing, for a possible second pilot project next year.

The towing costs for this year reached approximately $15,000.