• • Park vehicles off the street during snow removal operations. City ordinance prohibits the parking of vehicles on an Emergency Snow Route.
  • A ridge of snow will be left at the end of your driveway and curb sidewalks from our plowing equipment. It is the responsibility of the property owner to remove the snow left by our equipment.
  • Snow accumulated on any sidewalk needs to be removed twenty-four (24) hours after the cessation of a storm.
  • Is it okay to place snow from my driveway or sidewalk out into the street?  No. Snow removed from private property shall not be placed in or upon the public streets, alleys, sidewalks, or other public ways.
  • Stay clear of sand trucks at least 100 feet when driving.

The 5 phases of snow removal

To combat winter storms, the Public Service Department has developed a phased snow removal program.  Each phase of the North Platte plan has a specific purpose.  The intensity of each storm will indicate how many of the five phases are necessary.

PHASE I – SANDING OPERATIONS

As soon as the freezing rain or snow begins to fall, Public Service Department sanders will be dispatched.  Sanding operations will start with the viaducts, bridges and signalized inter­sections and continue on intersections in all snow routes until all routes have been run.  This operation will continue through all phases of snow removal operations, as weather conditions deem necessary.  Our goal will be to provide bare pavement on the emergency snow routes in the shortest period of time.

PHASE II – HIGHWAY/SNOW ROUTE PLOWING

When conditions warrant, crews will clear the snow route streets that comprise the highway system and snow route streets that are designated continuous no parking.  This step will keep the major highway system, railroad overpasses and routes to the major business areas, hospital and police/fire cleared.  This step will also give crews a jump on clearing of all snow routes if/when a snow emergency is declared.

PHASE III – SNOW ROUTE PLOWING

This phase is the plowing of all streets designated as snow routes.  In order to facilitate this plowing operation, vehicles must be moved off these streets.  To accomplish this move­ment, the City will call a Snow Alert and/or a Snow Emergency.

Snow Alerts will advise the public to prepare for impending storms by moving their vehicles off city streets, especially those designated as snow routes.  Snow Alerts will be called if forecasts predict an impending storm that may include large amounts of snow.

A Snow Emergency may be declared following a Snow Alert, or may be declared by itself, if time did not allow the calling of a Snow Alert.  Efforts will be made to call a Snow Emergency early enough in the day as to give citizens time to move their vehicles.

A Snow Emergency dictates that all vehicles must be moved off streets designated as snow routes.  If a vehicle remains on a snow route after a Snow Emergency has been declared, it will be ticketed.  If the vehicle is still not moved after being ticketed, it will be towed.  The fine for being ticketed is $35.  When a vehicle is towed, the owner is charged towing and storage costs.

Once a Snow Emergency is called, equipment will be dispatched to plow snow routes.  Dependent upon the severity of the storm, these routes may be plowed more than once.  During the Snow Emergency, a 24-hour communication center will be set at city number 535-6700, until the Snow Emergency is lifted.  Our objective is to keep the snow routes open to travel.

The Police Chief and the Public Service Director will confer on whether or not to declare a snow emergency.  Their decision will be based upon the National Weather Bureau fore­casts of 2” to 6” of snow and/or blizzard type wind conditions and existing conditions.

After they both agree to recommend the Snow Alert or Snow Emergency, the Public Service Director and Police Chief will declare either the Snow Alert or Snow Emergency.  The Police Chief will contact the 911 Communications Center who will in turn contact the news media, Fire Department, Police Shift Commanders, the State Patrol, the Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Defense Director.

The decision to remove a Snow Alert or Snow Emergency will be made in the same manner as when it was called.  The 911 communications center will also notify the same people as were called.

PHASE IV – DOWNTOWN STREET SNOW REMOVAL

Phase IV is the removal of snow from downtown streets, city maintained parking lots and city maintained sidewalks.  City maintained sidewalks will be cleared after any snow accumu­lation.  Downtown streets and city maintained parking lots will generally be cleared after a three to six inch accumulation, when existing conditions dictate or when future weather fore­casts dictate.  The removal of snow from downtown streets will generally be implemented at night unless conditions dictate the need for immediate daytime snow removal.  Every effort will be made to notify downtown merchants as well as the general public.

PHASE V – RESIDENTIAL STREET SNOW PLOWING

The final phase of our Snow Removal Program is the plowing of residential areas.  The snow depth, future weather forecasts and other factors, including hazardous conditions, must be considered before Phase V is implemented and it may not be implemented after every storm.  Special consideration will be given to areas with a drifting problem, regardless if Phase V is not implemented.  Our goal is to provide safe residential travel to and from snow routes following winter storms. Generally, crews will clear driving lanes only.  In most instances, residential streets will not be cleared.  Snow pack, available equipment, manpower and future forecast and melting conditions will all be considered before residential plowing is considered.

If you have additional questions about the emergency snow routes, please call the Public Service Department at 308-535-6700.