SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — You may not be ready for winter weather, but the city of Sioux Falls has been preparing for months.
This year they have something new to help keep the streets clear of snow and ice, plus they have an important reminder for all of us.
It won’t be long before this becomes reality.
“We plan for typically five to six snow events every year,” Street Operations Manager Dustin Hansen said.
To get ready for those snow events, the city street department met with a couple of dozen people from different departments, like fire and police and other first responders, who want to emphasize how important it is to move your vehicles when a snow alert is issued.
“It makes it a lot easier for us and faster if the cars are out of the way,” Charlie Putzier Street Maintenance Supervisor said.
“We just ask you to get off the streets once we call a snow alert, because we can’t plow the streets effectively with our big equipment if we want to get curb to curb down your street, otherwise we have to come back, but we also have to ask our members in the police department to do the ticketing and towing and that adds to their time and they have limited resources too, they’ve got other jobs they should be doing other than ticketing cars during a snow event,” Hansen said.
If a snow alert is issued, the street department has to plow more than 35 hundred miles using over 100 pieces of equipment.
The city uses these salt sheds to help keep the streets clear, but they needed more capacity so they built a brand new one that holds 16 thousand tons of salt.
They say the new salt shed will help the city stay ahead of winter weather before it strikes.
“Oh big, big, because two years ago when we got big snow getting it was tough, so having it on hand is going to be very beneficial,” Putzier said.
To signup to get text notifications when a snow alert is issued, click here.
