Pittsburgh residents return from vacation to find city towed their cars to pave stretch of road

PITTSBURGH — Residents of Pittsburgh’s South Side told Channel 11 that they thought their cars were stolen, only to find out the city towed them to pave a stretch of road.

Shannon Howley and her boyfriend, Patrick Devlin, went on vacation at the end of July and when they came back, they noticed Bradish Street was paved and that both of their cars were gone.

DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts

“It was definitely aggravating. I mean, I was definitely heated. Definitely frustrated and just disappointed,” Howley said. “You would expect more advance notice.”

She sent a home security image showing city crews putting up the signs. Other neighbors told Channel 11 they almost missed the signs because recent rain washed them away.

“The impound was $260. So we each had to pay $260. To have our cars removed. And we, of course, did this as soon as we got back despite the fact that it was 10 o’clock at night, and we’d been in the car for 12 hours. Because every day that the cars in the impound, the price goes up $25,” Howley said.

You can now customize your WPXI News App to receive Allegheny County news alerts. CLICK HERE to find out how.

Channel 11 reached out to the city to find out how this could have happened and received the following response:

“Anyone who shuts down a street is required to obtain a permit through the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure. They are required to post city-issued ‘No Parking’ signs 48 hours before the closure (this could be waived in emergency situations).”

Howley said with the recent violence on the South Side, construction taking up parking spaces and now this, it’s just one more reason she’s looking to move further away from the city.

A city spokesperson also said that residents can appeal any tickets they received from police.

Pittsburgh officers being investigated after breaking up brawl at South Side restaurant

TRAFFIC: South Side alternate routes TRAFFIC: South Side alternate routes