After receiving numerous complaints about traffic flow in wake of last December’s blizzard, the city of Madison made some changes to its snow removal techniques during this week’s snow emergency.
The snow emergency, which will remain in effect until at least 7:00 a.m. today, requires all vehicles to be parked according to the city’s alternate side parking restrictions under penalty of towing and a fine of up to $60.
According to George Dreckmann, spokesperson for the city’s streets division, the city towed 163 vehicles in the downtown area Tuesday night.
Dreckmann also said city snow removal operations will begin to focus heavily on salt routes — 10 major thoroughfares including University Avenue and Park Street.
The city plans to keep traffic flowing to schools and hospitals by giving extra attention to the salt routes. Dreckmann said sending extra trucks down major thoroughfares is a new strategy that will be used more frequently at rush hour.
He added the changes were partly a reaction to the complaints about the city’s reaction to the December storm.
“We’re always open to doing things better, but it’s important to remember [the December storm] was one of the worst storms in recent history,” Dreckmann said.
The city has ordered four new snow trucks that will use salt brine technology to prevent major snow accumulations on roads before a storm hits.
According to Dreckmann, the trucks will contain tanks of salt brine that dries before the storm comes and later prevents snowfall from bonding with the road. The salt brine technology will be used to improve current snow removal techniques.
A meeting of the city’s Subcommittee to Review Snow Policies and Procedures was canceled Tuesday night as a result of the recent snowfall.
According to Ald. Mark Clear, District 19, the committee has not yet considered any major overhauls of snow removal techniques because Tuesday night’s meeting would have been the committee’s first of the year.
Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, who sits on the subcommittee, said he focuses his responsibilities on the committee to improving snow removal on the University of Wisconsin campus.
“So many students use walking as their primary mode of transport; I am especially looking at sidewalks and frequent traffic areas to make sure they are routinely cleared for the safety of pedestrians,” Eagon said.
Eagon added the city cannot have direct control over all campus snow removal operations since UW also plows and pours salt in the area.
Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, said she was planning to introduce an ordinance before the subcommittee that would prevent private contractors or residents from dumping their snow on public right of ways.
“Some people take that snow and put it in the sidewalk or the public street or in any way interfere with the public use of our right of way,” Rummel said. “I think a lot of times it is private contractors; [the ordinance] is just a way to up the ante so it doesn’t happen.”
