Neighborhood Construction Leaving Residents With 'Surprise' Parking Tickets

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Only on 2 - neighbors with parking frustrations slapped with surprise tickets.

It's happening in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. People said they know they are illegally parking and the city is to blame for leaving them with no where to go.

CBS 2's Steven Graves explains.

It's what neighbors call the parking nightmare on South Damen Avenue: Construction cones push traffic to one side, eliminating parking there. People said they are running out of options and now they're paying the price.

Hurdistine Washington is the latest to be slapped with a $100 ticket on her car where she parked.

"Around the corner, it was illegal. And I knew that, but I had no place else to park," Washington said.

That's because a city sewer project work is pushing her out. For the past several weeks, she was OK parking where she was. Until the tickets popped up. And now she feels there's a lack of urgency from the city.

"We don't see any work being done out here. Ever," Washington said.

Notices on trees said work started early in October but neighbors think it's gone on way longer. They say they parking restrictions are forcing people to double park and go into other neighborhoods.

CBS 2 reached out to the city of Chicago and a spokesperson for the water department said most work is being done underground.

But neighbors just want to see the headache go away. Signs indicate that construction should end in November. A spokesperson for the city's finance department said tickets are issued in the interest of safety.

Steven's story started with a tip from a viewer. If you know anything we should check out, send us an email:  cbschicagotips@cbs.com.