Lee's Summit Winter Weather Street Cleaning
12.23.09
Winter Weather Street Clearing
Whenever accumulations occur, clearing our streets during the winter months is a top priority for the City’s Public Works Operations Division.
The division monitors weather events closely in order to be ready to plow and treat all 976 lane miles of City plowed streets within 32.5 hours after the precipitation ends – an even faster clearing time than in years past. Crews prioritize the removal of snow from streets in the following manner:
■Arterial routes within the first four hours after the precipitation ends
■Collector routes within 12 hours after the precipitation ends
■Residential streets and cul-de-sacs within 32.5 hours after the precipitation ends
Crews will be staffed 24 hours a day during snow and ice events and work on 12 hour rotating shifts during the week, weekends, and holidays. A new feature, this year, is that during daylight hours additional crews of office staff will plow cul-de-sacs and dead end streets during and following precipitation. This was made possible by the upgrade of eight compact trucks to ¾ ton pickup trucks equipped with snow plows. City crews are able to maneuver in and out of cul-de-sacs easier than with the larger snow plow trucks. The City has 998 cul-de-sacs to plow and treat per snow or ice event.
Two salt domes are stocked with 6,000 tons of salt in preparation for this year’s winter weather.
The City primarily uses 100% salt to treat ice and snow events, but may use a salt/sand mix if conditions warrant. Salt is also used to make salt brine to place on the pavement before a winter storm arrives. The brine acts as a barrier between the pavement and snow and ice.
There are opportunities for residents to help the City improve its snow removal operations.
■Although the City doesn’t have an emergency snow ordinance that prohibits parking on the street, it is helpful to remove all vehicles from streets to prevent a delay in clearing roadways.
■Shovel snow to the right side of your driveway, as you face the street. This will lessen the amount of snow left at the entrance of your driveway by the snow plow.
It is also helpful to remember the City does not clear private streets, shopping areas, and certain private neighborhoods.
For more information about the City’s Snow Removal Policy, contact the Snow Desk (816) 969-1870.
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