CARRICK (KDKA) — Several people who live on a narrow street in Carrick have received parking tickets for parking halfway on the sidewalk.

Drivers on East Agnew Avenue say they’ve done this so emergency vehicles can get through, but it’s illegal. On Friday, a lot of people got a $95 parking ticket and some put up their own.

“Even though they got tickets everybody is still parked up on the sidewalk – you have to,” Laurie Boden, of Carrick, said. “So what are you going to do – get a $95 ticket or pay $400 for your mirror to be knocked off – you know?”

Even though technically illegal, they were surprised because of a letter written in the year 2000 by then-police chief Robert McNeilly who acknowledged what the law says but acknowledged extenuating circumstances and said residents should be permitted to park partially on the sidewalk.

Residents say they have received one ticket over the years until Friday.

Pittsburgh Police released a statement when asked about the situation.

“We do concur that as the law reads it is illegal to park on the sidewalk but given the circumstances of this particular street and the residents who reside there the former Chief provided a written allowance based on the obvious parking constraint.”

At this point, East Agnew Avenue residents’ best bet once they get to parking court is to try to explain that they were operating on what they believed to be past practice.

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