In anticipation of inclement winter weather, the city of Madison’s alternate-side parking restrictions will go into effect tomorrow morning at 1 a.m.

For Madison residents, this means that from this Friday until March 15, those with cars parked on the street must park on the odd-house-numbered side of streets between the early morning hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. on odd-numbered days and on the even-house-numbered side of streets between the same hours on even-numbered days.

Downtown areas, however, have been exempt from the parking restriction since 1995. Instead, residents of the downtown isthmus snow-emergency zone, which encompasses the overwhelming majority of student housing, will only have to obey alternate-side parking rules during a declared snow emergency or after a snowfall exceeding three inches.

“The alternate-side parking ordinance is designed to help the Streets Division get our streets cleared as fast and safely as possible during snow and ice conditions,” Streets Division spokesperson George Dreckmann said in a statement. “By following the rules, Madison residents will avoid tickets and help us get our plowing operations done as quickly and effectively as possible.”

Residents who fail to move their cars during a snow emergency risk receiving $20 fines from the Madison Police Department.

“Despite city’s best efforts at publicity, every year without exception, hundreds and hundreds of tickets at $20 a pop are written for residents for violating winter parking rules,” said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.

Students with questions or concerns about the winter parking regulation can call the city’s winter-parking hotline at 261-9111. As part of the city’s public information program, residents can sign up to receive an e-mail notice whenever a snow emergency is declared by visiting the winter-parking web page on the city’s website at www.cityofmadison.com/streets/Winterparking.