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During
winter weather events when snow accumulates on the streets, the City will make
every effort to ensure snow is removed in a safe and timely manner.
Street Snow Removal
When
snow accumulation is apparent, the Marceline Street Department begins plowing
the primary arterial roads, followed by the secondary and side streets. MoDOT
is responsible for snow removal on JJ, WW, and HWY 5. Plowing along streets may
result in snow deposits on the roadside and driveway entrances, so unless it is
necessary, residents are encouraged to wait until the snowplow comes through
their road before shoveling the end of the driveway. The City does not have the
resources to clear snow from individual driveway entrances. Residents are
encouraged to be mindful when parking on Main Street USA and residential streets
when heavy snowfall is expected. When heavier snowfall requires the removal of
vehicles on public roads and streets, residential notifications will be
published in advance as required.
Sidewalk Snow Removal
Property owners (business / residential) and tenants are responsible for timely
snow removal on sidewalks in front of their businesses and residences to ensure
pedestrian safety and minimize liability.
Marceline Snow Removal Policy
During snow events, the
City of Marceline plows over 70 lane miles of roadway, and numerous short, dead
end street stubs. This work is completed by City Employees working extended shifts.
The immediate goal during snow storms is to make the roads passable for
emergency vehicles and those that must be on the roads. The City’s ultimate goal
is to clean snow from every street from curb to curb. In order to complete this
task, the 70 lane miles must be travelled from 2 to 4 times to properly clear
streets. To complete these tasks, the city maintains 4 pick-up truck plows.
These trucks are assigned the principal duty of opening and clearing the primary
routes, then moving to residential streets and intersections. Alleys will be
addressed when all residential streets have been cleared and when time permits.
Depending upon the type
and amount of snow expected, the snow policy is designed to remain flexible
enough to allow the most efficient use of staff time and equipment. The City’s
first priority is to open the city maintained primary arterial streets for
emergency vehicle access and other vehicle access. Once this process is
completed, then these streets will be cleared of snow while also beginning to
open the secondary routes. The secondary routes will be the next priority, with
opening each for all vehicle access the goal. Once all primary and secondary
routes are opened, the residential streets will be opened.
To assist in this process,
it is advisable to avoid parking on city streets. Any parked cars will delay the
process, and can become snow and iced into those locations. In addition to
delays due to parked cars, it is required to return to previously cleared
streets where homeowners plow or blow the snow from their driveway and sidewalks
into the street. This situation often results in obstructed streets, and
significant delays to complete snow removal.
The
City of Marceline follows the regional custom of plowing all streets by
discharging snow towards the right, or the curb of all streets. On most streets
this will often result in a ‘windrow’ of snow deposited along the curb and can
block previously cleared driveways, mailbox areas and storm drains. This is an
unavoidable circumstance of plowing streets, but is necessary to make the
streets passable. The impact of windrows can be lessened by a homeowner if they
choose to make a windrow clearance area by removing the snow from the city
street a width of 6 feet from the curb, and a distance of 24 feet from the edge
of your driveway (traveling 24 feet against the flow of traffic) which will
allow the plow blade to empty prior to crossing the driveway. Homeowners are
required to deposit ALL blown or plowed snow (whether from a driveway, sidewalk
or the windrow clearance area) off into the grass area between the sidewalk and
the curb, or in their yard area.
We understand that this
policy can be frustrating to a few homeowners, but it is currently the best
option available for the City, given the budget impacts of any deviations from
those policies. It is not recommended to attempt to flag down a plow operator
during the process as the operator did not set the policy, and is required to
not deviate from the policy. In addition to the plow operators’ inability to
deviate from this policy, it is dangerous to both you and the operator if you
approach a vehicle while in operation. Further, any conversations with the plow
operator will result in an unnecessary delay in clearing all streets.
Homeowner’s with questions
or complaints about the snow removal on their street should contact City Hall at
660-376-3528.
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