Forecast brings Rock Falls snow emergency

ROCK FALLS – Based on the winter storm forecast for tonight, a snow emergency was declared this morning in Rock Falls until 7 a.m. Wednesday.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for Whiteside County from noon today until midnight Tuesday. Snowfall of 5 to 9 inches is expected over the 2-day period, and wind gusts of up to 30 mph are expected Tuesday.

A fax today from Police Chief Michael A. Kuelper said the city street department had declared the snow emergency as of 12:01 a.m. today. That means a snow parking ban is in effect on all designated snow routes.

Any vehicle parked along those routes during the ban will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.

Parking is banned in the downtown area on:

— West Second Street from First Avenue to Fourth Avenue.

— East Second Street to East Third Street.

— 200 block of Second Avenue, Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

— First Avenue from the bridge to Dixon Avenue.

On designated snow routes, cars may not be parked on the even-numbered side of the street during an even-numbered day of the month, or an odd-numbered side of the street during an odd-numbered day.

For Monday, vehicles on designated snow routes should be parked on the odd-numbered side of the street.