CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The city says budget-crunching is going to affect snow removal this winter.
Streets and Sanitation Cmdr. Mike Picardi says less salt will be used on side streets this winter, and there could be delays in putting salt spreaders and plows on side streets.
Picardi says removal of yesterday’s two-inch snowfall cost taxpayers nearly 500-thousand dollars, most of it in salt and equipment costs.
Picardi says less salt was put on side streets yesterday than for snow falls last winter, all to save money.
The Streets and San boss says that, to save money on overtime costs, he’ll delay sending salt trucks and plows onto side streets after a weekend snowfall, unless conditions on the side streets become dangerous.
Cmdr. Picardi says the city may be a victim of its own success. He says, “people expect our main streets to be clear of snow and they become extremely impatient when they don’t see their side streets cleaned immediately”.
Still, to cut costs, Picardi is asking Chicagoans to be “patient” when it comes to side street snow removal this winter. He also asks people, when they shovel around their cars, to throw the snow onto the grassy parkway and not into the middle of the street.
Chicago is luckier than most towns in Illinois because it’s in the middle of a two-year deal to buy salt for $40/ton. Picardi says other towns around the state are paying about $140/ton.
Another cost-saving measure is better use of technology. Picardi says that, through the use of radar and cameras, even as far away as McHenry County, the city can put its people on-the-street when the snow is arriving instead of having them sit for hours on the side of the street waiting for the snow and racking up more payroll costs.
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12/02/2008 12:22PM
Tell Us What You Think
Please refrain from using profanity.
12/02/2008 1:10PM
City to Cut Back on Plowing Snow on Side Streets
We all know that snow removal has expensive costs but since former Mayor Bilandic left us with no snow removal at all, it has become an important issue. We expect our Mayors to provide us with complete snow removal. How can Mayor Daley be an advocate of hosting the Olympics and not promote simple things like complete snow removal?
12/02/2008 1:37PM
Olympics
Let's just hope Chicago does NOT host the Olympics. What a nightmare that will be. Mayor Daly just wants to show off his sychronized swimming routines...That don't seem right.
12/02/2008 2:02PM
EXCEPT ALDERMAN
Any bets the streets the aldermen live on will always be plowed, curb to curb ??
12/02/2008 2:04PM
Then why raise taxes
Why are my city services always being cut and my taxes always going up ? hello federal government how about an investigation here for complete stupidity
12/02/2008 2:09PM
City that "used" to Work
Think of how this scenario might play out. Moderate snow comes down ... with measured slow response to clear side streets followed by a heavy dose of Lake Effect which drops another foot of snow. The side streets become clogged and you cannot make it to the arterial streets. And if you could get to those arterial streets we now know you cannot afford to park your car there! No word of laying off the meter maids in that press release.
12/02/2008 3:29PM
SellItAll
Hey, Why not sell snow plow sponsorship?
That would be yet ANOTHER way for Da Mayor to make some money for the late, great city of Chicago and it's thoughtless politicians!
12/02/2008 3:31PM
cost cutting corruption
how about a cut in corruption daley, or police brutality law suit payouts? then lets talk about cutting costs in snow plouging
12/02/2008 4:34PM
driver
Sorry. A two inch snow fall did not require immediate plowing -- not on the side streets. If you can't drive through two inches of snow - you and your car don't belong on the road.
12/02/2008 4:50PM
Lame Duck
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1309731,snow-removal-chicago-120208.article
In the Times article Daley askes motorists to slow down during snow. What choice do they have when he won't plow the streets. Can you say Lame Duck mayor?
12/02/2008 5:07PM
Mr. Voter
Did Daleys lackie ..Jr-G-Man get a pay cut,remeber he was hired for two jobs then they gave one to the ex-fire chief...still jr-g with daddys uniform on gets full pay and buys 200 gas guzzlers to boot...daley is a moron vote this clown out!
12/02/2008 5:27PM
Ugh
Get used to it. This is how Democrats run governments: take a look at Cook County, Chicago and Illinois. THAT is what our Federal government is headed for with a Dem Pres and a Dem Congress. Good luck with that!
12/02/2008 5:41PM
PLOW THE SIDE STREETS
Why are we paying these outrageous property taxes when we can't even get our side streets plowed now?
12/02/2008 8:50PM
We'll see...
if that goes for side streets in all neighborhoods or just the less affluent ones. Any bets that side streets in Lincoln park, the Gold coast and Mr. Daley's beloved Bridgeport will still be cleaned much sooner than the Austin or Englewood neioghborhoods.
12/03/2008 2:51AM
englewood
In more recent years, Al Sanchez started cutting back on street cleaning and salting. One night we had a tremendous snow storm and no plows or salt trucks. Al Sanchez was all over the radio explaining that this blizzard "was not in the forecast."
When we get a lot of snow and a house goes up in flames in Englewood and the fire trucks and ambulances can't make it through the streets blocked with cars jutting out on an angle because the cars are stuck and people just have to give up and go back inside...let's just say someone tragically will win the ghetto lottery when they have to sue the city.
12/03/2008 2:22PM
Payola
Yeah, especially with the 60 million being spent on new police cars.
12/22/2008 10:01AM
City that rips off
Change the slogan from City that Works to the City that rips people off. Our relatives who live in the suburbs refuse to come downtown anymore because City parking lots are too expensive, predatory parking meter enforcement and high sales taxes. All of this will hurt independent small businesses all over the City. I shop in a collar county where I don't have to be harrassed by predatory stop light cameras and predatory meter maids
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