Snow Plowing Updates

by Charlie Romines, Streets Superintendent
posted January 19, 2023 11:14 AM

Streets Division crews are continuing the work on cleaning up from last night's storm.
 
Later today and through the evening, Streets Division crews will be working on plowing just the drive lanes of neighborhood streets where needed.  This is a different operation triggered by the unique weather conditions and forecasts.
 
This is not a full curb-to-curb plowing.  Snow will still be left in the parking areas along neighborhood streets.  All things considered, the snow totals were relatively minor for this event.  However, there are some special circumstances created by this storm and the weather forecasts.
 
This particular snow is very moisture-laden and dense.  As folks are driving through the wet and melting snow, it is creating exceptionally slushy and sloppy roads in neighborhood areas.
 
Temperatures will drop below freezing later tonight and stay cold for some time.  This could freeze the slush into place creating lumpy and rutted roads.
 
In an effort to prevent the inconveniences caused by frozen bumpy roads that could last for weeks, Streets will be working on plowing out the drive lanes of the streets.
 
With this in mind, there is a possibility for more snow tonight. If crews need to pivot from this special drive-lane plowing operation to treating the salt routes they will do so.  Also, temperatures will fall below freezing this evening.  The drop in temperatures could happen before our crews have a chance to plow out the drive lanes of some areas.   In other words, while crews will do our best to plow out the centers of each street in Madison, other factors may prevent every street from receiving this treatment.
 
This is a non-standard response to unique weather conditions done so to prevent the inconvenience of frozen and bumpy travel through neighborhood streets in the days ahead.  The snow and road conditions are not such that require the full curb-to-curb city wide plowing operation that follows significant winter storms.

Streets Division staff will continue to monitor the roads and the weather. Additional updates will be provides as operations adjust.