City Snow Crews Get Ready for the Upcoming Snow Season

Well before it snows, the city’s Transportation and Mobility Department begins to get ready for winter. Preparations include training new team members, ensuring equipment is in good working order and helping the community prepare for snow.

During winter storms, the city prioritizes clearing emergency routes, major streets, access to hospitals, schools, transit and critical infrastructure, as well as neighborhood streets with steep slopes and the city’s multi-use path system for walking and bicycling. Like other Front Range communities, the city does not typically clear side and residential streets since most snow usually melts within a day or two and because this would significantly increase costs, impacting other city services.

“Safety is our first priority. When it snows, our team works 24 hours a day to keep our streets and paths safe and accessible for community members.” said Transportation Maintenance Manager Scott Schlecht. “At the same time, it’s important to recognize that normal travel conditions cannot always be maintained during a storm. We ask for patience from the community as we diligently work to improve travel conditions when it snows.”

Here are a few items to keep in mind as we move toward winter:

• Those that must travel during winter weather are encouraged to visit the city’s website to view live video of current road conditions at key intersections throughout the city.
• Like most communities, city property owners are required to keep the sidewalks, curb ramps and curb extensions clear of snow and ice within 24 hours after snow stops.
• Property owners are responsible for disposing of branches and other debris that falls on their property after storms.
• Community members who want to help their neighbors can volunteer for the city’s Shovel-a-Stop Program, which fosters a community approach to clearing snow and ice from bus stops.
• Cold air can impact a home’s pipes and plumbing. Learn more about how to winterize your home.
• When it snows, visit the snow and ice webpage and follow the city on Twitter for regular updates.

For more information about how the city approaches clearing snow and ice, visit the city’s website.