Citywide Plowing Today: No Snow Emergency

Hi Everyone,

All Madison streets will be plowed today. A snow emergency is not in effect.

Streets Division crews will continue looping through the salt routes throughout the morning hours while it continues snowing.  

The storm is expected to taper off this afternoon. At that time, vehicles from the Streets Division, Parks Division, and Engineering Division, plus additional vehicles from heavy equipment contractors will begin plowing.  The plowing operation will begin at 2:00pm, December 12, 2020.  The combined plowing force will total around approximately 150 pieces of equipment. All City of Madison streets will be plowed starting at this time.

Snowplowing operations can take 12 to 16 hours to complete. Madison has nearly 1,800 miles of traffic lanes to plow – that's like driving from here to the Mojave Desert in California - so it takes a significant amount of time to clear these roads from curb to curb. Plow trucks will be pushing snow from the roads throughout the afternoon and evening, wrapping up sometime during the overnight hours.

Even though a snow emergency has not been declared, everyone is encouraged to choose off-street parking options throughout the day and during this afternoon's plowing operations, and to follow alternate side parking restrictions tonight. The fewer obstructions in the roads, the more complete plowing operations can be.

If you need to be out on the roads today or tonight, please remember to make good choices. Due to the high winds, outlying areas of the City may experience some drifting issues as the snow continues to fall. And, since it will be snowing for the remainder of the morning and into the afternoon, all roads will be snow-covered and slippery for quite some time today. Remember to be alert, patient, and safe throughout your travels. Give yourself plenty of space to stop and plenty of time to get to your destinations.

Everyone is encouraged to use caution when shoveling their sidewalks, driveways, and the approaches to your driveways. This snow is wet and heavy, making it harder to shovel. Remember to take breaks and not over-exert yourself cleaning up from this storm.  

Streets Division staff will continue monitoring the weather and the roads. Future updates will be provided as conditions require.  

For more information, check the City's winter updates website: https://www.cityofmadison.com/residents/winter/

Take care and stay safe,

Tag