FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2018
NO SNOW EMERGENCY DECLARED YET BUT CAUTION IS ADVISED
Parking off street during snow event will help Muscatine DPW clear streets
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Despite forecasts ranging from 2-to-6 inches of snow today (Feb. 5), the City of Muscatine believes there is no reason to declare a snow emergency … yet.
“We are not planning to declare a snow emergency at this time,” Brian Stineman, director of the Department of Public Works, said. “However, if accumulations go over six inches, we will likely declare one later this afternoon or tomorrow morning to assist us in finishing up plowing on Tuesday and Wednesday.”
Stineman added that if residents are able to park off-street it will make for faster and better snow plowing.
“Residents should know what to do in regards to parking during these snow events,” Stineman said.
DPW crews were already out this morning and will be working throughout the day and evening as the snow event arrives.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the Muscatine area from 12-8 p.m. today (Feb. 5) with snow accumulations up to six inches and the potential for blowing snow later this evening that will make for hazardous travel conditions. The National Weather Service in Davenport is forecasting additional snow accumulations Tuesday night and again from Thursday night into Saturday.
Residents can follow the snow emergency parking regulations during these snow events, even if a snow emergency is not declared, to aid the DPW crews in clearing the streets.
Those regulations state that streets allowing parking on both sides will be subject to “alternate side of the street” parking where, on odd-numbered days of the month, parking is permitted only on the odd-numbered side of the street, and parking is permitted only on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered days.
For all streets where parking is allowed only on one side, if that side is on the even-numbered side of the street parking is allowed only on even-numbered days with no parking allowed on odd-numbered days. Likewise, if the one side is on the odd-numbered side of the street parking is allowed only on odd-numbered days with no parking allowed on even-numbered days.
Class 1 streets are those designated to be cleared first and include snow ordinance routes, hospital access streets, school access routes, and transit emergency bus routes. The effort for these is to clear the entire street from curb to curb before proceeding to other streets.
For more information visit the Snow & Ice Removal page on the City of Muscatine web site. You can also call the Department of Public Works at 563-272-2506 for more information.
Snow Emergency Ordinance Q&A
There are two other sections in City Code that deal with snow and ice removal.
Section 3-1-4 states that property owners are responsible for clearing natural accumulations of snow and ice from the sidewalks within 24 hours after the last snowfall. If the property owner does not clear the sidewalk in a reasonable time, the City will attempt to notify the property owner to remove the snow and ice. If the City clears the snow and ice, the property owner will be assessed the costs of removal.
Section 3-1-7 simply states that it is unlawful to throw, push or place any ice or snow from private property, sidewalks or driveways onto the streets.
Title III: Public Ways and Property