2011 Blizzard: How are the roads downtown?

[Salukipoke]

That is exactly why it's done, but usually, it's not done until the majority of roads are plowed at least once.  

It also doesn't explain why I've seen truck after truck after truck driving around with their plows up... if you're gonna burn the gas, put the plow down and be productive!

This city has no game plan when it comes to snow removal.

[Townsend]

That is exactly why it's done, but usually, it's not done until the majority of roads are plowed at least once.  

It also doesn't explain why I've seen truck after truck after truck driving around with their plows up... if you're gonna burn the gas, put the plow down and be productive!

This city has no game plan when it comes to snow removal.

Several of those plows you see aren't the city's.  The wear and tear on the plow blade and drive train would keep me from lowering it without compensation.

I'd imagine there are litigation issues as well if a plow operator isn't under contract with a government agency sanctioning the job.

[Salukipoke]

If there's a city of Tulsa emblem on the door, it's a city vehicle and yes, the plow should be down.  I realize every 4x4 or truck with a blade isn't the cities, but I'm seeing way too many city trucks not being productive.

The city has 50 truck on the road at any given time, there are 1700 lane miles of streets and now they have $2M worth of extra help.  If every street in this city isn't plowed at least once by tomorrow morning, the person in charge of the street crews needs to be gone.

[Conan71]

If there's a city of Tulsa emblem on the door, it's a city vehicle and yes, the plow should be down.  I realize every 4x4 or truck with a blade isn't the cities, but I'm seeing way too many city trucks not being productive.

The city has 50 truck on the road at any given time, there are 1700 lane miles of streets and now they have $2M worth of extra help.  If every street in this city isn't plowed at least once by tomorrow morning, the person in charge of the street crews needs to be gone.

That would be my reaction as well, but since I'm not a traffic engineer, I don't pretend to know better than the department of public works. Plows also can cause damage to the street surface and as well they've said the drifts can be hard as concrete which can damage equipment.  Or it could simply be workers aren't doing what they are paid for.  No idea.

Did anyone else happen to see the promised neighborhood clearing taking place?  I sure didn't.

[waterboy]

We live a block from an elementary school on a hill. Everyone parks on our street to let their kids off. They, (someone) graded off the street in front of the school, pushing 6ft tall banks onto the curb and sidewalks around the school, but didn't touch any of the access streets to the school. No chance to go to the school.

We could slide down the hill to the street in front of the school which gave us access to 21st but couldn't make it back into the neighborhood without a lot of shoveling, pushing, sliding and ....laughing.

Tulsa, the city that doesn't work.

[Red Arrow]

Tulsa, the city that doesn't work.

I'm looking for better.  I'm looking for a place that pays me to not show up.

[waterboy]

Congress?

[Red Arrow]

Congress?

Good try but:

1. I would be expected to show up occasionally
2. I could never get elected

[Townsend]

2. I could never get elected

Have you taken a look at what's made it there?  Unless you've murdered more than 3 children and someone has proof...

[Red Arrow]

Have you taken a look at what's made it there?  Unless you've murdered more than 3 children and someone has proof...

Thanks but no thanks

[Salukipoke]

I'm not a genious, but I did grow up in northern Illinois where we dealt with boat loads more snow than this regularly and I have slept at several Holiday Inn Expresses, but it seems to me a basic game plan is missing.  For example check out the Snow and Ice policy of Rockford:

http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/public-works/street-division/snow-ice.aspx

Why doesn't Tulsa have this?  Does it snow this much very often?  No, but I'ld think this city is and should be ready for many types of emergencies that don't happen very often; i.e. a bomb threat at the airport.  Planning for snow is no different. 

And something else to chew on; Tulsa has 1700 lane miles of streets, Rockford has 1500 lane miles of streets.  Rockford's entire snow removal budget is just over $2.3M annually.  What did Tulsa just pay an outside contractor to help on the lasted snow storm. 

[Breadburner]

I'm not a genious, but I did grow up in northern Illinois where we dealt with boat loads more snow than this regularly and I have slept at several Holiday Inn Expresses, but it seems to me a basic game plan is missing.  For example check out the Snow and Ice policy of Rockford:

http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/public-works/street-division/snow-ice.aspx

Why doesn't Tulsa have this?  Does it snow this much very often?  No, but I'ld think this city is and should be ready for many types of emergencies that don't happen very often; i.e. a bomb threat at the airport.  Planning for snow is no different. 

And something else to chew on; Tulsa has 1700 lane miles of streets, Rockford has 1500 lane miles of streets.  Rockford's entire snow removal budget is just over $2.3M annually.  What did Tulsa just pay an outside contractor to help on the lasted snow storm. 

Head back any time you feel ready....

[waterboy]

No, for heaven's sakes. Stay and share your experience of Rockford with people in power around here. Might be you stimulate someone to make a few calls, schedule a fact finding trip and make some planning changes. I too would like to know what we've expended on these last two snows for removal.

[nathanm]

No, for heaven's sakes. Stay and share your experience of Rockford with people in power around here. Might be you stimulate someone to make a few calls, schedule a fact finding trip and make some planning changes. I too would like to know what we've expended on these last two snows for removal.

That would be interesting to know. Probably not "much" ($200,000 at most) for the city crews and supplies, but I doubt Crossland was working for free...

Edited to add: $360,000 by noon Wednesday, just for Public Works and salt, actually.

[swake]

I'm not a genious, but I did grow up in northern Illinois where we dealt with boat loads more snow than this regularly and I have slept at several Holiday Inn Expresses, but it seems to me a basic game plan is missing.  For example check out the Snow and Ice policy of Rockford:

http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/public-works/street-division/snow-ice.aspx

Why doesn't Tulsa have this?  Does it snow this much very often?  No, but I'ld think this city is and should be ready for many types of emergencies that don't happen very often; i.e. a bomb threat at the airport.  Planning for snow is no different. 

And something else to chew on; Tulsa has 1700 lane miles of streets, Rockford has 1500 lane miles of streets.  Rockford's entire snow removal budget is just over $2.3M annually.  What did Tulsa just pay an outside contractor to help on the lasted snow storm. 

Where are your numbers coming from?


I have a hard time buying that Rockford, IL with a population of 157,272 covering 57 square miles has anywhere close to the amount of lane miles that Tulsa does with 389,625 people in 187 square miles.

(per Wiki so take it for what it's worth)