As the winter snow begins to accumulate for what looks to be a drawn out winter season, we reached out to City Superintendent Tyler Webster for some insight on what people should be aware of as far as snow removal in the city is concerned.  Some issues related to vehicle parking during the season are a matter of city ordinance, and some are more a matter
of courtesy.

The first point Webster raised was what probably seems like an obvious one, but is also where most of the other issues stem from.  “What really helps us is having vehicles off the road so we can plow curb to curb safely.  This helps us if we get a huge winter snow, but mostly so when it starts melting it stays in the curb,” Webster noted.

If snow has to be plowed to the streetside of a parked car, it can on the one hand potentially trap the vehicle in place until the snow melts or on the other not allow the plow to safely push snow out of the whole roadway.  When that snow begins to melt, it can create dangerous piles of slush and ice that create driving hazards.

Vehicles that are parked on the streetside and are inoperable are in violation of the city code, and need to be moved as soon as possible.  The difficulties of performing such a task in the winter are obvious, but in a case where the vehicle may not be possible to move in the near term, residents can contact the city offices and make Webster and the city crew aware of the issue, or they can contact City Code Enforcement Officer John Christophersen about the code issue.  There are potentially methods for arranging to have the car moved through such a discussion. 

The next main point Webster raised is maybe less obvious, but is just as important.  “It really helps for people to not put the snow back in the road.  Keep the snow on the property it came from.  When there are piles left on the roadways it partially melts, then turns to ice.  This is really hard on both the driver and the equipment when we hit it on the next snowstorm.”  

Again, sometimes the snow removal process can create some impediments to the best practices, but snow shoveled from driveways and sidewalks should be shoveled, or blown, on to lawn areas or curbs rather than into the street.

So far this winter, there has not been a huge accumulation of snow onto public roads, but recent forecasts have called for both increased snow as well as extenuated freezing conditions that are likely to increase the potential danger of road surface ice.  

The city snow removal equipment is one of its biggest seasonal expenses, and the more efficiently and safely it can be used in the service of keeping the city streets open and accessible, the better for everyone.

“We take a lot of pride in cleaning up after a snowstorm and like to see out streets cleared of snow,” Webster says.  If you have any questions about vehicles in the roadway of snow clearing issues, you can call City Hall at 766-4160.