Following the snowstorm Dec. 8 and 9 that cancelled classes, services and even government operations in Madison, citizens, a state senator and former Madison mayor raised concerns as to whether the city’s snow removal was properly handled by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and city staff.
In response to criticism and to better handle future storms, the mayor’s Chief of Staff Janet Piraino and Streets Superintendent Al Schumacher compiled data and developed ideas about how to better address severe weather in the area. The information was released in a report Dec. 24.
“It was a very, very difficult storm. In my 33 years in the city, I can only think of one that could be compared to this,” Schumacher said.
Cieslewicz apologized for the mishandling of the storm in a Dec. 12 article by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Piraino noted during and after the storm city staff were faced with two unfavorable options: taking resources off of residential streets to focus on main arterials or take resources off of main arterials to focus on residential streets.
Piraino said the decision was made to clear residential streets to allow for emergency vehicles and Madison Gas and Electric crews to have access to homes rather than send plowing units back onto the main arterials to plow and reapply salt.
Former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin criticized Cieslewicz on his blog, waxingamerica.com, saying Madison has “abandoned its basic commitment to snow removal” over the past decade. Cieslewicz disputed Soglin’s claim that the city has less equipment to tackle storms and stated on his own blog that Madison’s capabilities to tackle plowing has improved since 1990 thanks to improved monitoring of basic city services.
Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, expressed interest in introducing a bill that would take away the city’s ability to regulate salting and plowing, and place them in the hands of the state Department of Transportation, citing what he sees as ineffective measures by city staff in addressing the December storm.
“I think the Department of Transportation could apply their standards to the city of Madison with great success,” Grothman said.
Grothman added though there may be a lack of equipment and staff, current city policy does not adequately address the needs of the people of Madison in navigating the streets following substantial snowfall. Among the difficulties encountered during the December storm were temperatures being too cold for salt to be used effectively and hard-packed snow rendering sand ineffective.
Additionally, the majority of plows and snow removal units became stuck while operating, with many units breaking down and requiring extensive repairs, the report said.
The general plowing of all city streets took approximately 30 hours — three times the amount of time it usually takes, the report said.
The report also highlighted changes put in place by city staff during the storm, including a citywide snow emergency being declared as soon as snow began to fall, which lasted for three days as opposed to the usual two, and calling together the Emergency Operations Center to coordinate various city departments and services to combat the challenges faced.
