Plowing the streets in Denver (Boulder: appointed, neighborhood, maintenance)

[katmoney]

Seriously, what is the deal? We got a couple inches in the Denver metro area yesterday, and it had stopped snowing early last night. I for sure thought this morning the streets would be clear by now..WRONG.

It was a complete nightmare trying to get to work this morning. No streets were plowed (very well, at least) or even had mag chloride down. I just don't get it. Why does Denver totally slack at clearing the streets..even major ones? I-25 was a mess, too!

Any insight??

[oberon]

We're lazy and don't like paying for snow removal?

[HighlandsGal]

I find it very annoying as well. 25 south-bound around the stadium curve was an absolute joke this morning around 6.15.....completely icy and snow covered. I can't believe that there were no plows out, no salt on the road, nothing. What is with Denver???

I am from West Michigan originally and the few inches we got last night is nothing compared to what I am used to. But if this snowfall happened in Grand Rapids the roads would be clear in an hour or two.

I find it seriously annoying.....sometimes I feel like I live in Kentucky or Georgia or something.....why can't they get it together????

Okay, I feel better now after ranting. Thanks!

[suzco]

Not that it's any comfort, but blame must be shared. It's not only city of Denver that just waits for the sun to shine to melt the snow. CDOT (Colorado Dep't of Transportation) is responsible for plowing I-25 and I-70, for example.

[katmoney]

I am from Chicago, where the streets are salted before the snow first falls. I'm quite dissappointed with how Denver handles this!

[HighlandsGal]

There's an article in the Post about this -- rather, the article is about an officer in Douglas County who got in an accident this morning because of the roads....but the comments are pretty much spot on.....http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8128916 (broken link)

[chilaili]

I can relate. I moved here from Minnesota (to get away from the lousy weather) but we were very spoiled up there with the awesome plowing you got in the city centres. Denver and surrounding cities suck at plowing. After last year's debacle the Mayor said he still wasn't going to spend millions on new plows just because of a once-in-a-lifetime blizzard! I guess the myth about how it snows and then melts the same day is another argument the powers-that-be use to not send the plows out.

[denverian]

Well, I was impressed that they plowed the residential streets in Denver after the heavy Christmas snow (and the snow a few days before that). That was better than last year when we had 3' on the gound, yet now plowing. Last year was a nightmare! But I guess it all goes back to the average winter in Denver. It normally doesn't snow much in the middle of winter, and heavy snows typically come in October or April, when even a foot melts quickly (and often most of it melts on pavement so streets don't get that much).

As for today, I had an inch or less in my neighborhood, so I don't think plowing was necessary.

[suzco]

For those interested, here's a link to the Denver snow removal plan that was implemented in response to all the complaints after last year's very snowy winter. Snow Removal, Snow Control

[kryptos]

I'm reading what people are saying about the roads in the north this morning-
Slick roads greet commuters this morning : Breaking News : Boulder Daily Camera