Deep snow piled on city boulevards is slowing the city’s effort to remove sloppy, wet snow from the streets.

Thursday, January 04, 2001

Deep snow piled on city boulevards is slowing the city’s effort to remove sloppy, wet snow from the streets. Amid concerns and complaints, city crews are working today to clear the slush.

Recent warm weather created the slush, particularly in residential areas, and phones were ringing all day Wednesday at city hall as residents lodged complaints, said City Engineer Dave Olson.

&uot;We’ll have some plows out today working to clear the slush. Based on the calls we’ve received, we’ll focus on the worst areas,&uot; Olson said. &uot;The rest of our crews are trying to clear the snow from the boulevards on the main thoroughfares of the city to make room for future plowing.&uot;

Olson said that his office received several calls from city residents Wednesday and Thursday morning complaining about the deep slush. He tried to provide a good explanation.

&uot;The chemicals and salt we use on the streets are activated by this warmer weather. They break up the packed snow on the streets,&uot; Olson said. &uot;It creates a troublesome situation because the slush is so heavy.&uot;

Since the snow on the boulevards is so high already, residents can expect the slush from the streets to end up at the entrances to their driveways after the plows pass by, Olson said.

&uot;It’s just one of the realities of winter,&uot; Olson said. &uot;When we get this much snow in one month, we reach a point where there isn’t anyplace to put it. Obviously, we’re working on it, but we only have so many plows and trucks.&uot;

Olson said the high-moisture slush is concentrated in the intersections and on the slopes of hills where the chemicals are applied the most.

&uot;People have legitimate concerns, and the city is responding to them the best it can,&uot; Olson said. &uot;Again, this is simply a part of winters in Minnesota.&uot;

The city has continued to rent eight large tandem trucks to help in the snow removal efforts.