City of Kalamazoo issued the following announcement on Dec 17.
Winter weather will be here before we know it. Help keep everyone safe and keep city services running smoothly through the snow and ice.
Keep Your Sidewalks Clear of Snow and Ice
Many residents rely on sidewalks for essential trips (yes, in the winter too!). Snow and ice on sidewalks can be dangerous and makes using them very difficult. Do your part to keep our city connected by shoveling the sidewalks adjacent to your property. Not only is this a courteous thing to do, it is required by city ordinance.
Property owners are required by ordinance to clear ice and snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property within 48 hours of accumulation, and apply sand, salt, or something similar within 12 hours.
Snow Removal on Streets
Residents rely on clear roads for daily commuting, but they’re also critical for emergency response and delivery of public services. When snow falls, our team works around the clock to clear snow from roads. We prioritize the major streets that connect essential services first before moving into lower traffic neighborhood streets, dead-ends, alleys, and cul-de-sacs. Our goal is to have all major streets cleared within 24 hours and all other streets within 48 hours, but this time can vary based on each snow event. Please do not report a missed street until after this window has passed. You can report a missed street by calling 311 or at kalamazoocity.org/report.
Don’t Get Snowed In
You can help keep your driveway clear after snowplows pass by shoveling the area before your driveway as shown in the diagram below. This gives the snow from the front of the plow a place to go other than the end of your driveway and can save you time and frustration. Also, please don’t shovel snow into the street- shovel it into your yard instead. This helps keep everyone safe and will prevent snow from getting pushed back into your driveway.
Keep Streets Clear
Make sure your trash and recycling carts are placed in the curb lawn area and not in the street. If you have a basketball hoop at the street, make sure you remove it. These items make it difficult to clear snow and slow down plowing. They can also become damaged if they are in the roadway.
Winter Parking
Parking regulations are especially important during the winter months as crews work to clear snow from streets. If you don’t follow parking rules, plows can’t clear the full width of the road and your car may get buried in snow. Help our team out as they keep the 250 miles of streets clear (and you won’t get a ticket!).
Check Your Mailbox
Before heavy snowfall, shake your mailbox to make sure it is solid and will stand up to snow during plowing. If it wobbles easily from your hand it will not hold up to winter maintenance in Michigan. Doing any needed repairs or replacement ahead of time will prevent future hassles and help prevent delays or disruptions with mail delivery.
Protect Your Pipes
Your home’s plumbing is not immune from the cold winter weather. Freezing pipes can be expensive to repair and can lead to flooding and other home damage. The City will issue an advisory when weather conditions increase the risk for freezing pipes, but every home is different. Older homes or homes with less insulation in the basement are generally at greater risk. During periods of extreme cold, you can protect your pipes by running a pencil lead size stream of water from a faucet in your home. This keeps water in the pipes moving and helps prevent them from freezing.
Always Drive Safely
Slowing down and always driving safely helps keep everyone protected. Always be cautious and look out for other road users, whether they are on foot, on bike, or in another vehicle.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Kalamazoo
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