Weather on its way
According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, Baldwin City is in for some fun winter weather over the next few days. It looks like it may be mostly sleet and some mixed precipitation, with not much snow accumulation.
Since we haven’t talked about snow yet this year, we pulled out this conversation with the Public Works director from last year. Some important notes:
If it’s expected to snow more than an inch, try not to park your vehicle on the street if possible to allow the plow access.
Visibility can be low from inside a plow truck. Give them plenty of room to work.
If there’s enough snowfall to allow for sizable plowed snow piles, please do NOT allow children to play in the piles. It can be exceedingly dangerous.
Q & A WITH ROB CULLEY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
Which roads are snow routes?
High Street, Lawrence Street to Highway 56, and 6th Street (maintained by Douglas County).
At what point do the snow routes "activate," and parking is no longer allowed?
When there is 2 inches of snow fall, you must move your vehicle if it’s parked on the street in question.
When do we plow?
If possible, we’ll wait until the snow is done. Plowing while the snow is still falling is inefficient in every way, but we monitor closely and stay in contact with Baldwin City Police Officers. If the roads are getting slick and causing dangerous conditions, we head out.
Do we pre-treat?
If there’s time before predicted weather comes in, we’ll get out and pre-treat with salt and sand. It doesn’t keep the roads from being slick necessarily, but it can make cleanup quicker and easier.
What gets plowed first?
We focus on the snow routes, the roads near the schools, and downtown first. These are the heaviest traffic areas within city limits.
Who is responsible for 6th Street and Hwy 56?
Douglas County is responsible for 6th Street (1055), and KDOT maintains Hwy 56.
How many plow routes are there?
We usually run 5-6 plows, depending on staffing.
Are there any special considerations for the brick streets?
They get slick very quickly, so we do try to get to them early. They also take extra time because we need to navigate around vehicles.