Madison police issued 1,818 tickets for winter parking violations in the first week of alternate-side parking enforcement, a sharp increase from the 1,351 tickets issued in the first week in 2008.

The number of citations, however, appear to be leveling out. As of Nov. 25, parking enforcement officers issued 2,956 tickets, more closely paralleling the 2,908 tickets issued at the same point last year.

Despite the increase in citations, the actual number of officers issuing them has decreased this year. According to parking supervisor Stephanie Niesen, the parking enforcement team is short three alternate side officers compared to last year.

Under alternate-side parking regulations, between the hours of 1 a.m and 7 a.m., motorists must park on the odd numbered side of the street on odd days and on the even numbered side of the street on even days, regardless of weather conditions.

Those parking in the Downtown-Isthmus Snow Emergency Zone, an area that encompasses Park Street, Proudfit Street, Thorton Avenue and the Yahara River, are exempt from the rules except during a snow emergency, which is declared when there are three or more inches of snow.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said University of Wisconsin students residing west of Park Street, which falls outside of the snow emergency zone, are heavily impacted by the rules and regularly incur citations. A common problem, Verveer said, is that residents fall into complacency until it snows.

More directly affecting university staff and students are the campus winter parking rules, which prohibit parking on Observatory Drive and Linden Drive between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Molly Coughlin, marketing specialist for UW Transportation Services, said the university is concerned with mitigating snowfall to ensure students’ access to campus, not with catching violators of parking rules.

“While we can’t guarantee that someone is not going to get a ticket for parking there, the goal is not to go around citing people when it’s not necessary,” Coughlin said.

Winter parking restrictions, both on campus and throughout the city, are in effect until March 15.