Give thanks! The annual winter parking ticket reprieve, courtesy the D.C. Department of Public Works, finally arrives this Friday, when the city will suspend alternate-side residential street sweeping for the season. The official release is just about to be posted to the DPW web site, according to spokesperson Linda Grant, but here’s the text from the announcement:

The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) announced today that weekly (signed), residential mechanical street cleaning will end for the season Friday, November 28, 2008. “No parking/street cleaning” restrictions will be lifted and motorists may park along posted, alternate-side, daytime street sweeping routes without being required to move their cars on street-cleaning days.

Residential street sweeping is suspended for public safety concerns during the winter. Trucks used to clean the streets emit a fine spray of water to keep dust down as they sweep. When the temperature drops to freezing or below, sweeping is discontinued to prevent freezing and accidents to vehicles and pedestrians.

Overnight sweeping scheduled for the District’s major roadways, which include Pennsylvania, Georgia, Constitution, and Independence avenues, will take place as usual all winter, weather conditions permitting. Motorists are urged not to park in these areas during the posted overnight sweeping hours.

By suspending the street sweeping program, DPW personnel will focus on leaf collection, which began November 3, and the upcoming snow removal season. Residents and business owners will be notified when street sweeping resumes again in the spring of 2009.

Bottom line: rejoice in your newfound winter parking freedom, except on major roadways. And if you happen to receive a street sweeping-related ticket between this Friday and sometime next March, you should make sure it’s legit before you pay it. Last year, some parking enforcement officers were apparently unaware of the suspension.