[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

The
city of Madison continues cleaning snow off its streets while
preparing for more after two storms hit the city this week.

The
mayor's office met Wednesday with leaders of different departments
of the city, including the Streets Division, City Engineering, Parks
Division, Building Inspection and Metro Transit, to discuss how
well-prepared the city would be for the next snowfall.

"We
are just making sure that we are making all the adjustments that are
necessary so that we can take care of the next round of snow as
quickly and efficiently as we can," said George Twigg,
communications director for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

The
street clean-up crews, composed of both city workers and private
contractors, continue to work around the clock to make sure the
streets get cleared.

"[The
snow Tuesday] put everything behind a day. We had to stop scraping
ice off the streets so that we could go into full-scale mode, which
means plowing all of the 1,700 lane miles around Madison," said
Alan Schumacher, Madison's streets superintendent.

Madison
issued a snow emergency Tuesday in expectation of the snow to come,
which will stay in effect until at least 7 a.m. today.

"There
are a number of factors that contribute to calling a snow emergency,
such as the amount of snowfall that is expected and if the snow is
going to be heavy enough," Twigg said.

Residents
have been asked to move cars off the streets altogether if possible,
but alternate parking rules have taken effect for those cars still on
the streets. The night before an even date, for example, cars should
be parked on the even house numbered side of the street for the next
day.

"The
point of alternate parking is basically so that we can get the
streets cleared and everyone can park," Twigg said.

Madison
parking enforcement officers have been writing citations for vehicles
that have not been following alternate parking, and also for vehicles
that have not been moved since the storm.

"So
far we have written 3,249 alternate-side parking fines for $20 each,
and since Nov. 15 we have written 1,209 $30 parking citations. We
have been marking tires on cars that have not been moved and if a car
is declared abandoned, it will be towed," said Joel DeSpain, public
information officer for the Madison Police Department. "This will
cost the owner $125 because of the towing and the ticket."

Cars
that are considered abandoned after being left for 48 hours will be
towed to city lots.

"There
has not been a mass towing, so far, but lots of cars have been issued
citations," DeSpain said.

The
Madison Fire Department is calling on citizens to help do their part
during these winter storms by helping to clear ice and snow from fire
exits.

"One
inspector encountered six exits that were frozen shut in one day,"
said Bernadette Galvez, public information officer for the fire
department. "The fire escape is a way out, and if it is frozen
shut, there is potential for them to be trapped."

Fines
for blocked fire escapes start at $172, according to the MFD.