COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — Aggie game day is back in College Station this weekend as A&M hosts Arkansas Saturday night.
College Station Police wants to remind you to only park where it is allowed. Illegally parked vehicles create a public safety concern on residential streets.
On regular, non-game days, residential streets adjacent to Kyle Field are normally pretty quiet, but that story changes when A&M Football is in town. Cars flock to the residential streets within walking distance of the action in an effort to secure last-minute free parking.
On game days, the College Station Police Department performs parking enforcement on the Southside District of College Station.
"The purpose for doing this parking enforcement is to make sure emergency vehicles, especially our very large firetrucks and ambulances, are able to maintain access to these residential neighborhoods," explained Officer Tristen Lopez, Public Information Officer with College Station Police Department.
Officer Lopez says in case of emergencies, emergency personnel need to have adequate space and access.
"So, it's really a life safety issue, and that is why we have to devote personnel to it even on a very busy game day," he added.
College Station PD says they are specifically looking for violations in the tow-away zones. Drivers are also not allowed to park within 30 feet of a stop sign or 15 feet of a fire hydrant, which are also ticketing and towing offenses.
"So any vehicles parked in the Southside neighborhood in a tow-away zone that is signed "No-parking anytime," or "No parking," and you are within the time frame that it says "tow-away zone," then those cars are towed," Officer Lopez said.
Texas A&M student Wils Popejoy witnessed first hand the enforcement. He says he saw someone's vehicle get towed right in front of him.
"The lady comes up and she's like, "Did y'all call the police on my car?" and we are like, "Well... no... but the Excel Towing Truck just came up and towed your car." She didn't believe us, but yeah they towed her pretty quick," Popejoy said.
Officer Lopez says it's a reoccurring issue when offenders get creative with their last-minute parking.
"I would say do not park in the no parking zones. It's a $300 fee to get your car out of the pound. I wouldn't do it," Popejoy added.
CSPD says their efforts are focused on Wellborn to Texas Ave and George Bush to Holleman Drive areas.
"Once you have filled up all of those legal places to park, rather than parking farther away or paying to park, people start to find more creative solutions, and sometimes those creative solutions are not entirely legal, so again this is a life safety issue and that's why we are trying to maintain access for emergency vehicles," Officer Lopez added.
Officer Lopez says the City does not generate any revenue from the towing of any vehicles. Illegally parking vehicles are simply towed.