Photo by Howard Owens
Perhaps a public conversation during a recent City Council meeting has resulted in several "helpful reminders" for the upcoming winter weather, or they were coming anyway, but citizens are asked to heed these seasonal rules to make the best of it for yourselves and others for the next several months.
This is the time
Driving conditions can change quickly, so be prepared for those changes. This is the time to check over your vehicle for proper operation of all safety features. This is the time to put on those snow tires if you use them. This is the time to check over your entire vehicle for winter driving.
There is “No Parking" on city streets between 2 and 6 a.m. If at all possible, try not to park on the street when snowing so that snow can be cleared to the curb line/edge of pavement.
Stay back from snowplows at least 100 feet. If you can't see the mirrors on the snowplow, then the snowplow operator cannot see you. Snowplow operators are out there to help make the roads safe.
The property owner's responsibility. Please keep your sidewalks clear of snow and ice. It is the property owner's responsibility to keep the sidewalks adjacent to your property clear. There are significant numbers of pedestrians in the city.
It was this issue that came up during a recent City Council meeting, as it often does at least once a year. A citizen complained about not being able to walk on the sidewalks when not shoveled, and she had to walk in the street along with school children. Council members encouraged folks to help out their neighbors when possible and understand there may be times when circumstances result in unshoveled pathways.
Do not shovel, plow, or snow blow into the road. If you have your driveway plowed, do not push it into or across the road or block sidewalks. These all create hazards for you and the community.
Be patient and plan ahead. None of us can control the weather. Leave more time for travel if the weather is forecasting snow. In severe weather, try to limit any unnecessary travel.
Bureau of Maintenance's first response:
When it does snow the City Department of Public Works, Bureau of Maintenance, responds to the weather. Upon the initial onset of snow, the Bureau of Maintenance will respond with what we call a salt run.
Three plows outfitted with material spreaders are dispatched to apply anti-icing materials (rock salt) to roadways and parking lots. This will help prevent or break up snow from binding to the pavement. If snow persists and depending on the type of snow, this operation will change from a salt run to a plowing operation.
Bureau's typical plowing operation:
In a plowing operation, there are nine distinct routes designed for the most efficient use of our equipment. Be it wide streets, narrow streets, dead-ends or parking lots, we have different equipment to handle each unique area.
It takes about four hours to get through the city once in a moderate snow event. We normally try to get through the City twice during a plow operation.
Each snow event is different. Snow events vary from low moisture to high moisture, from flurries to high intensity, from relatively warm to bitter cold, with traffic or without traffic, day/night, weekends and holidays. Each impacts how we fight the snow, with our ultimate goal to keep the City open for business and safe for travel.
City officials thank you for your cooperation and ask you to be safe this winter season.
