City crews clear streets, spread salt after storm

By: 
MEGAN LINSKI

Drivers on Chicago Blvd. carefully maneuver plowed streets after Tecumseh was hit by its first snowstorm of the season on Saturday, Nov. 21. Photo by Megan Linski.

Lenawee County was hit by its first major snowstorm of the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, with a total of five inches of snowfall accumulating in Tecumseh. The National Weather Service issued several storm advisories and warnings across Michigan over the weekend, with snow falling mid-afternoon, beginning at 3 p.m. and continuing into the night. The storm was the cause of several car crashes throughout the county, including a single vehicle crash with minor injuries at Taylor Road and M-52.

According to Sergeant Carl Polan of the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Dept., there were 26 property damage crashes and seven personal injury crashes from Friday evening to Sunday morning in Lenawee County. He advises drivers to stay alert and safe during snowy conditions.

“First of all, check the road conditions,” Polan said. “If it appears slippery or it’s snowing, and if you’re not capable of driving, I suggest you don’t.”

Tim Bock, City of Tecumseh’s street superintendent, says that the city handled the storm well and is prepared to deal with a large quantity of snow this season. “We used roughly fifteen to twenty tons of salt over the weekend, and we’ve got fifteen hundred tons on order,” Bock said. “We’ve dealt with snow for the past two years excessively, so I’m not concerned with that at all.”

Bock said that the Department of Public Works (DPW) is able to handle whatever challenges the weather has for Tecumseh this winter, and he has faith in the ability of workers to keep roads clean during snowy conditions. “I don’t want to believe we’ll have a hard winter but they’re calling for it, so we’ll see,” Bock said.

Major streets, including Chicago Boulevard and Evans Street, are plowed first by the DPW before moving onto residential streets. The main priority of the Public Works Department is to keep busy roads open at all times. The department asks that residents who have had snow plowed into their driveway do not shovel it back into the street, as it is dangerous for drivers and can result in a fine.

Although the National Weather Service reported temperatures in the low 30s over the weekend, they estimate that temperatures could rise as high as 53 degrees by Friday. Despite the large amounts of snowfall Todd Amstutz, utilities director for the city of Tecumseh, does not believe flooding will pose a problem if the weather warms over Thanksgiving weekend.

“We’re dry. We don’t get any flooding,” Amstutz said. “We’ve dug holes and there’s no moisture there. We’re extremely dry.”

The Tecumseh Police Department advises vehicle owners to be aware of changing weather conditions during the winter months. If there is an accumulation of two inches of snow or more on city streets, a snow emergency is in effect. During a snow emergency, parking on the street is prohibited. In order to clear the snow, the street department needs all vehicles off the street. Residents who do not have a driveway can park in the City lots downtown. Officers may ticket cars parked on the street during a snow emergency. The police department asks that if a forecast calls for snow overnight, that residents park their vehicles in their driveway in order to clear the streets for workers.

Overall, Bock is optimistic about the upcoming snow season. “We’re not starting off in a great way, but we’re prepared for it,” Bock said. “We’ve got ample help and ample equipment to deal with anything that’s been done before. We have adequate salt, and we’ll do what we have to do.”

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Tecumseh Herald

 

110 E. Logan St.
P.O. Box 218
Tecumseh, MI 49286
517-423-2174
800-832-6443

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