Snow, ice, and its removal. A popular topic at City Hall. Mazeppa City staff does a great job of keeping streets clear. We still get complaints, but most residents are very supportive of the snow removal team. We do want to address the complaints that we have received.
Q1) Why does the City come by later and put another snowplow ridge at the end of my driveway? A1) First priority of snow removal is to get the streets passable for people to be able to get around the community and to be able to commute for work. Some areas are completed early, such as the downtown business area and the area around the School. Other areas require their second pass, to make sure the traffic areas are widened out and corners are pushed up. Any time we are widening out the lanes or pushing drifts, there is a chance that a driveway will get another plow ridge.
Q2) Why are County and State Highways seem cleaner than the City streets? A2) Roads in the open are designed for wind to help blow snow off the road. Wind currents from passing vehicles also help blow snow from roadways. The less stuck snow, the faster the sun can heat the pavement, begin the melting process, and make chemicals work more effectively. In the City, buildings disrupt wind, slower speeds allow the snow to be packed making it more difficult to remove, and once it has been packed it takes longer for applied chemicals and sand to work because the snow cover is reflective, so sunrays are not as effective in heating pavement to make chemical applications more effective. Also, with less traffic, road treatment chemicals are not spread as much by tires and traffic. Also, those maintenance crews use more expensive pre-treatment equipment and chemicals. Less traveled areas of larger City’s look very much the same, or worse than our road surfaces.
The City appreciates that most property owners/tenants with sidewalks in front of them have been keeping them cleaned and maintained. The City thanks everyone working together to get though the long Minnesota winter.
