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.