Typically, Emporia’s snowplows don’t go into the city’s residential neighborhoods to clear snow. But they are for the rest of the week.
The combination of up to half an inch of ice, 5-plus inches of snow and air temperatures near zero Jan. 4-5 was followed by another 2-3 inches of snowfall Jan. 9-10. Residential streets have been dealing with a stubborn snowpack for a week and a half, and City Manager Trey Cocking wants as much snow cleared as possible before biting cold returns this weekend.
Residential collector streets — the more heavily traveled residential streets like Prairie Street, South Avenue, 12th and 15th — are the initial focus, but Cocking says plows will get into neighborhoods. Aside from some snow and ice in center turning lanes, Emporia’s main arterials are now largely snow- and ice-free.
Cocking says plow drivers want side streets to have any parked vehicles moved off those streets, but he also recognizes there are areas where the only option is to park on a street. Plows will work around parked vehicles, although they may have to push the snow more towards those vehicles, depending on the situation. People may also have to clear their driveways, depending on the clearing effort.
3 pm Tuesday: Emporia Public Works crews to focus on residential collector street clearing over next several days
Residential collector streets have been ice and snow-packed for well over a week following the first burst of winter weather for the area, but are set to be cleared soon.
The City of Emporia announced Tuesday afternoon that crews will be clearing residential streets over the next few days and ask residents who have vehicles parked on roadways to move them to avoid any obstructions to the clearing process. Additionally, the clearing efforts may result in driveways being blocked and residents may need to clear them.
The clearing efforts follow several days of above-freezing temperatures and a week’s worth of clearing on major arterials between last Sunday and Friday.
Roads were ice and snow-covered for the better part of a week following the first two rounds of winter weather that impacted the local area bringing upwards of five plus inches of snowfall and up to a quarter inch of ice accumulation between January 4th and 6th. A second round of winter weather between last Thursday and Friday brought an additional 2.5 inches or more of snow accumulation.
For questions or more information contact the Emporia Public Works Department by calling 620-340-6339.
