The Department of Public Works (DPW) Post-Storm Operations entails two Major Stages:
- Sidewalk Plowing
- Snow Clearing
Sidewalk Plowing
Once the storm has slowed or stopped and the storm event operations are winding down, the process of sidewalk plowing will begin. There are four main sidewalk plowing routes in town, which can be seen on the Sidewalk Snow Plow Map. The DPW has three pieces of equipment to clear the 23 miles of sidewalks after each significant storm. Sidewalk clearing is first focused on areas around schools, then main roadways, and lastly secondary roadways. Depending on the severity of the storm, manpower, and other DPW operations, this process may take several days. The goal is to clear sidewalks within 48-hours of the end of a storm. Residents and businesses can help by avoiding piling snow on the sidewalks, which slows down or prevents the sidewalk plowing process. Sidewalk clearing, like roadway plowing, will result in snow deposits in driveways, which is unavoidable. The more residents and businesses can do to limit the amount of snow they push onto sidewalks at their driveways, the more this can be minimized. The DPW does not treat sidewalks with salt or sand.
Snow Clearing
Snow clearing involves pushing snow back along the roadside in order to make room for snow from future storms. Depending on manpower and other DPW operations, this process may take several days.
