City shovels up dough for snow removal

City workers were out in droves plowing masses of snow during this weekend's storm, an approximate $50,000 undertaking funded by Carson City taxpayers.

Carson City Manager Linda Ritter said the city has already spent a total of $100,000 from the general fund on snow management operations this season, and she anticipates thousands more will go toward plowing before winter is through.

"That was just for the last two storm events," she said. "The season's not over yet."

The city employs 16 plow operators to drive eight plow-sander combination trucks and three snowplow-only trucks.

With all hours worked this weekend and during the last big storm in December, she said, $100,000 is a reasonable amount - it's even cheap compared to past years and other cities.

Pooling resources, Ritter said, was the key to cost-efficient snow removal.

"We were able to consolidate all of our crews to drive," she said. "We even had our risk manager out there driving. If they were a city employee with a CDL, they were out there driving."

The most expensive part of snow removal, she said, is moving snow on residential streets. On major streets, plows need only to shove the snow to the side, while trucks removing snow in residential areas have to lift, move and pile snow, requiring more time.

Carson City Utility Operations Chief Curtis Horton said, as always, major streets receive top priority for snow or ice control.

These are the streets that must be kept open to connect hospitals, fire stations, sheriff's offices, school-government facilities and major commercial areas.

All other streets which complete the major traffic volume street network, or Priority 2 streets, receive attention next.

Any remaining collector streets labeled Priority 3, including residential, will only receive attention after Priority 1 and 2 streets unless snow depth warrants it or a specific emergency exists.

To help make snow removal more efficient, Horton said, try not to park on the street when possible and be aware that workers to clear from the center of the street out. This requires pushing the bulk of the snow toward the curb, helping to prevent melting snow from covering the driving lanes with ice every night.

As for the ice sticking to nearly every street in the city, Ritter said, it is expected to melt quickly, as temperatures warm into the 40s during the next few days.

Contact reporter Robyn Moormeister at rmoormeister@nevadaappeal.com or 888-0564.