Snow Plowing Discussion

The Political decisions of Omaha.

Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss

User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

icejammer wrote:Oh no, the most annoying are those people who shovel/plow/snowblow their driveway back out into the street after the plows have gone by, making the street in worse shape than it started out in.
Which is also illegal.
User avatar
GetUrban
Planning Board
Posts: 2634
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 3:07 pm
Location: Omaha

Post by GetUrban »

Brad wrote:
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:I can't believe that pedestrian safety (i.e. having cleared sidewalks and paths) is left in the hands of private land owners. What the he11?
|expletive| that... I will NOT pay for people that are too lazy or irresponsible to remove snow on their own property.  You can spend $10, buy a shovel, and get out there and clean it.  No one is held accountable anymore.  Fine them, raise the |expletive| fines, but don't make the city do it because people are too stupid.
Technically, property lines are usually set back from the curb a few feet, depending on the width of the right-of-way, so sidewalks often ARE in the public right-of way and NOT on private property, even though they often appear to be in private yards. Nevertheless, city ordinances require land owner's to be responsible for upkeep of their adjacent portions of the right-of-way, including mowing and snow removal from sidewalks. Owners should be held accountable.

But, it probably would make more sense for the city to clear snow from sidewalks right next to the curb which are typically covered by snow plowing. The quantity of snow that ends up plowed onto sidewalks is obviously much greater than snow that fell from the storm.
Last edited by GetUrban on Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

GetUrban wrote:Technically, property lines are usually set back from the curb a few feet.
more like 6+ feet.
User avatar
S33
County Board
Posts: 4441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by S33 »

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Yeah, I realize it's the law, so, not debating that...

I can't believe that pedestrian safety (i.e. having cleared sidewalks and paths) is left in the hands of private land owners. What the he11?

That's like having an ordinance that says if your house is on fire, YOU are responsible for preventing other adjacent properties from catching fire. Absurd.

Of course, the 1000 pound gorilla in all of this is SPRAWL, CAR CULTURE, and SOCIETAL VIEWS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. With the sprawling, inefficient way we build cities, clearing all sidewalks would be out of the question... that is with the lack of emphasis on pedestrians. Hmmm. Somehow all the streets get cleared.

If we demanded communities and developments that are more dense, more walkable, and mixed use, with an emphasis on non-motorized transportation, this problem would probably not exist in the first place.

Where I lived in France, sidewalks, trails, and paths for pedestrians and cyclists were the first things cleared BY THE CITY, followed closely by clearing the streets, and even this was MAINLY to accommodate public transportation. Yes, they make sidewalk-sized plows and riding-snow-throwers.
Pedestrian friendly NYC is not responsible for store fronts and sidewalks either, unless they are considered part of subway/transit
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

|expletive| that... I will NOT pay for people that are too lazy or irresponsible to remove snow on their own property.
Although there are those type of people there are ones that have cleared off their sidewalks and the city comes through and pushes the snow from the street back up onto the sidewalk. Of this pushed up snow isnt the snow fluffy but the stuff that freezes into cement hard snow.

There was a report on one of the local channels the other night about a neighborhood that had a quite a few retired people living in it. They had cleaned off their street and the city came and dumped/pushed another 3-4 feet on top of their cleared off sidewalks.[/quote]
User avatar
nebugeater
City Council
Posts: 108844
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:07 pm
Location: Gretna NE

Post by nebugeater »

For the first time in 10 years I have not cleaned the sidewalk in front of my house.  I live on a cul da sac and this storm the plows decided that front of my house was the place to plow all the snow.  I know it has to go somewhere and I am fine with it where it is.  That being said the snow pile that is on top of my sidewalk and front lawn was 8 - 9 feet deep and full of large, hard chunks of snow and ice along with the sand and stuff from the street.  Not going to dig it out by hand,  snow blower will not touch it, and I am not hiring it done.  It is down some but I sure am hoping for a warm spell.

Typically the snow from the street gets spread around to different spots around the circle and I have dug out 3 - 4 foot piles before but this was a little much.  The winter joys of living on a circle.  At least we are at the "top" so to speak so it is not a part of the walk that gets much use and kids do not use it to get to the bus.
For the record  NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER    !!!!!!!
bbinks
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1340
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:10 pm

Post by bbinks »

Brad wrote:
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:I can't believe that pedestrian safety (i.e. having cleared sidewalks and paths) is left in the hands of private land owners. What the he11?
|expletive| that... I will NOT pay for people that are too lazy or irresponsible to remove snow on their own property.  You can spend $10, buy a shovel, and get out there and clean it.  No one is held accountable anymore.  Fine them, raise the |expletive| fines, but don't make the city do it because people are too stupid.
What about all the city sidewalks that never get shoveled?  Why cant you and I go do it, then send the city a bill.  I'd like to hear the Mayors office response to that.
User avatar
thenewguy
County Board
Posts: 3728
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 9:50 pm
Location: Council Bluffs

Post by thenewguy »

i agree 100%.  This summer, we had a green "x" tagged on one of the squares of the sidewalk in front of our house.  It was deemed 'unsafe' and had to be replaced.  The city had sent us a letter and it explained why they had done so.  It had to have a 1/2" raised surface or more (which it didn't) or a crack that had chunks of concrete missing (which it didn't).  I called and asked them why i had to replace mine, and they said that, even though it wasn't unsafe now, it could present a safety hazard in the future due to the hairline crack in the surface.  Bull |expletive|.  My wife and i often take walks in the summer time, and not more than 3 blocks over, there was a home that had large cracks, pieces missing, and grass growing over the sidewalks excessively.  Isn't that a safety hazard, too???  What's worse is that you have to apply for a permit through the city ($25 a shot---and there were hundreds of people that had to replace sidewalks), and then do it yourself or hire someone on top of it.  I was told that there would be a $200 fine for not fixing the concrete, and then the city would replace it and send you the bill...which would definitely be more than doing it yourself or hiring someone in the first place.  

Where this all comes into play is that we, as home owners, have to maintain the sidewalks and the right of way....but they aren't ours to do with what we want.  We can't just plant trees in the right of way, we can't NOT scoop the sidewalks (or risk citation), and we pay to replace or repair parts of the sidewalk that AREN'T EVEN OURS!!  

Something seems just so wrong about being forced to pay for something that isn't mine...and penalized if i don't.
Go Cubs Go
mrdwhsr
Library Board
Posts: 316
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:51 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Post by mrdwhsr »

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Yeah, I realize it's the law, so, not debating that...

I can't believe that pedestrian safety (i.e. having cleared sidewalks and paths) is left in the hands of private land owners. What the he11?

That's like having an ordinance that says if your house is on fire, YOU are responsible for preventing other adjacent properties from catching fire. Absurd.

Of course, the 1000 pound gorilla in all of this is SPRAWL, CAR CULTURE, and SOCIETAL VIEWS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. With the sprawling, inefficient way we build cities, clearing all sidewalks would be out of the question... that is with the lack of emphasis on pedestrians. Hmmm. Somehow all the streets get cleared.

If we demanded communities and developments that are more dense, more walkable, and mixed use, with an emphasis on non-motorized transportation, this problem would probably not exist in the first place.

Where I lived in France, sidewalks, trails, and paths for pedestrians and cyclists were the first things cleared BY THE CITY, followed closely by clearing the streets, and even this was MAINLY to accommodate public transportation. Yes, they make sidewalk-sized plows and riding-snow-throwers.

        Seldom do I take a contrary view Streets, but in this case home-owner responsibility for sidewalk maintenance was in place long before SPRAWL and CAR CULTURE.

        I do agree that SOCIETAL VIEWS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY have changed. The LEGAL view of PEDESTRIAN SAFETY hasn't changed.    

       What many of the property-owners who don't bother shoveling sidewalk don't know is THEY ARE LEGALLY LIABLE for any injury a pedestrian sustains because they made no effort to clear the sidewalk!!!!!!!! At least that is the case in most civilized US states. With Nebraska's Contributory Negligence I suppose the home-owner's lawyer could argue that the pedestrian shouldn't have been walking, there must be a mental defect if they don't drive (the bigger the SUV the better) like everybody else (I say this in jest but there are people who think this way).

       In addition to snow removal, the property-owner is responsible to see that the side-walk is properly maintained. If the sidewalk has cracked and buckled to the point that it presents a hazard that could produce a fall and injury, it is a very good idea to replace that side-walk and eliminate the hazard. A hand rail is also required along steps and on a porch were the UPS guy or Mailman could step-off in the wrong spot and end up with an ankle sprain or worse injury. This type of ordinance isn't new with the automobile or suburban sprawl, this dates back to the time of MOSES, if not earlier.

Not really as absurd as we might think. When the home-owner lives up to their responsibility the side-walks get cleared much more efficiently than city government. Note all the complaints when the city covers the already shoveled side-walk while plowing streets.
User avatar
S33
County Board
Posts: 4441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by S33 »

nebugeater wrote:For the first time in 10 years I have not cleaned the sidewalk in front of my house.  I live on a cul da sac and this storm the plows decided that front of my house was the place to plow all the snow.  I know it has to go somewhere and I am fine with it where it is.  That being said the snow pile that is on top of my sidewalk and front lawn was 8 - 9 feet deep and full of large, hard chunks of snow and ice along with the sand and stuff from the street.  Not going to dig it out by hand,  snow blower will not touch it, and I am not hiring it done.  It is down some but I sure am hoping for a warm spell.

Typically the snow from the street gets spread around to different spots around the circle and I have dug out 3 - 4 foot piles before but this was a little much.  The winter joys of living on a circle.  At least we are at the "top" so to speak so it is not a part of the walk that gets much use and kids do not use it to get to the bus.
Yeah, I wouldn't be shoveling that |expletive| either.
User avatar
S33
County Board
Posts: 4441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by S33 »

thenewguy wrote:i agree 100%.  This summer, we had a green "x" tagged on one of the squares of the sidewalk in front of our house.  It was deemed 'unsafe' and had to be replaced.  The city had sent us a letter and it explained why they had done so.  It had to have a 1/2" raised surface or more (which it didn't) or a crack that had chunks of concrete missing (which it didn't).  I called and asked them why i had to replace mine, and they said that, even though it wasn't unsafe now, it could present a safety hazard in the future due to the hairline crack in the surface.  Bull |expletive|.  My wife and i often take walks in the summer time, and not more than 3 blocks over, there was a home that had large cracks, pieces missing, and grass growing over the sidewalks excessively.  Isn't that a safety hazard, too???  What's worse is that you have to apply for a permit through the city ($25 a shot---and there were hundreds of people that had to replace sidewalks), and then do it yourself or hire someone on top of it.  I was told that there would be a $200 fine for not fixing the concrete, and then the city would replace it and send you the bill...which would definitely be more than doing it yourself or hiring someone in the first place.  

Where this all comes into play is that we, as home owners, have to maintain the sidewalks and the right of way....but they aren't ours to do with what we want.  We can't just plant trees in the right of way, we can't NOT scoop the sidewalks (or risk citation), and we pay to replace or repair parts of the sidewalk that AREN'T EVEN OURS!!  

Something seems just so wrong about being forced to pay for something that isn't mine...and penalized if i don't.
See, you know why they do that now right? All the court happy babies who can't stay on their own two feet. I agree it's |expletive|, but it's a sign of the times. Sad really.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

S33 wrote:All the court happy babies who can't stay on their own two feet. I agree it's |expletive|, but it's a sign of the times. Sad really.
You mean everyone in this country with their |expletive| hand out....
User avatar
S33
County Board
Posts: 4441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by S33 »

Brad wrote:
S33 wrote:All the court happy babies who can't stay on their own two feet. I agree it's |expletive|, but it's a sign of the times. Sad really.
You mean everyone in this country with their |expletive| hand out....
Yes, those people.
StreetsOfOmaha
City Council
Posts: 6865
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:46 pm

Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

D'Shawn, I love the 'meter maid' idea for enforcement. What chaps my |expletive| the most is the laissez-faire attitude of local authorities. There needs to be a much better plan.

I'll definitely be reporting a few problems to the city. Walking home from the bus stop on St. Mary's yesterday, just two blocks, there was not a single sidewalk cleared. I felt like I was trekking the Yukon in 6-foot high snow drifts covered in ice.

S33. New York City is really NOT that pedestrian "friendly", there are just a LOT of pedestrians. Sure, there is safety in numbers, but the infrastructure is not there. Even New York is trying to change their poor reputation for cyclist and pedestrian safety.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

I just ran to the bank real quick.  The City is still trying to clear sidewalks around Burke High.  They had a full sized tractor, like one you would see building a road, trying to clear a sidewalk and it was spinning its tires.  There is a ton of snow out there in some places.
User avatar
GetUrban
Planning Board
Posts: 2634
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 3:07 pm
Location: Omaha

Post by GetUrban »

thenewguy wrote:Where this all comes into play is that we, as home owners, have to maintain the sidewalks and the right of way....but they aren't ours to do with what we want.  We can't just plant trees in the right of way, we can't NOT scoop the sidewalks (or risk citation), and we pay to replace or repair parts of the sidewalk that AREN'T EVEN OURS!!  

Something seems just so wrong about being forced to pay for something that isn't mine...and penalized if i don't.
The sidewalks ARE yours, and everyone else's.

If you didn't have to directly pay for sidewalks in the right-of-way adjacent to your property, you just have to pay for them and all the others with additional taxes, unless of course you'd prefer not to have sidewalks at all. Sure it's a drag to pay for them, but most people like to be able to walk in their neighborhood, I think.

There are good reasons for the city to control what you do in the right-of-way and on the sidewalks, such as being able to access the utilities that are typically buried there, and ensuring visibility of pedestrians and cars entering the street from driveways, intersections, etc. Most would also agree that it's good to have some rules governing aesthetics along the street-scape. The city governs what you can build on your property too, through zoning. You can't just come in and build anything you want without regard to your neighbors or the safety of others. Fortunately, if you don't like the laws, you're free to try to change them.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
User avatar
thenewguy
County Board
Posts: 3728
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 9:50 pm
Location: Council Bluffs

Post by thenewguy »

GetUrban wrote:
thenewguy wrote:Where this all comes into play is that we, as home owners, have to maintain the sidewalks and the right of way....but they aren't ours to do with what we want.  We can't just plant trees in the right of way, we can't NOT scoop the sidewalks (or risk citation), and we pay to replace or repair parts of the sidewalk that AREN'T EVEN OURS!!  

Something seems just so wrong about being forced to pay for something that isn't mine...and penalized if i don't.
The sidewalks ARE yours, and everyone else's.

If you didn't have to directly pay for sidewalks in the right-of-way adjacent to your property, you just have to pay for them and all the others with additional taxes, unless of course you'd prefer not to have sidewalks at all. Sure it's a drag to pay for them, but most people like to be able to walk in their neighborhood, I think.

There are good reasons for the city to control what you do in the right-of-way and on the sidewalks, such as being able to access the utilities that are typically buried there, and ensuring visibility of pedestrians and cars entering the street from driveways, intersections, etc. Most would also agree that it's good to have some rules governing aesthetics along the street-scape. The city governs what you can build on your property too, through zoning. You can't just come in and build anything you want without regard to your neighbors or the safety of others. Fortunately, if you don't like the laws, you're free to try to change them.
I know that in a round-about way, they are 'mine', but not, all at the same time.  I see what you're saying, but it is still ridiculous that they can pull the crapp they do in regards to upkeep.  The roads are 'mine' too, but i don't have to go out there and fix pot holes each winter.  Public schools are 'mine', but i'm not responsible for running the district or teaching classes.  I feel as tho there should be some sort of credit on my tax bill for maintaining the sidewalks because the city doesn't maintain them.  the gas tax we all pay goes to road maintenance, why not have something similar to that for sidewalk shoveling/repair?  Since that it is completely unfeasible and will never happen, why can they not give a minor reduction to homeowners to compensate?  If the department of roads stopped up-keeping the highways/roads, we shouldn't have to pay the additional tax as a result.

What else annoys me is that the city doesn't cite people for letting grass grow all over the sidewalks or blowing their clippings into the street.  The guy down the street on the corner does both, and it leaves a 12" wide path to meander through.  Incidentally, he doesn't shovel his walk, either, and even when it starts to melt, he doesn't de-ice it at all.  That's what upsets me off about the whole thing: the ones that don't get held accountable are the turds, and the ones that do are not...not to go too far off on a tangent. :)
Go Cubs Go
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Here is a good one... 30% of the snow plows were broken after the last storm... They hope to have 90% running by this weeks storm!
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32806
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Post by Coyote »

I hope so also - I was stranded in DIA the last storm and I may be stranded again this week.
I was flying into Eppley last week when the plane took a left nose dive -
the pilot immediately told us we just avoided a flock of geese.
mrdwhsr
Library Board
Posts: 316
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:51 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Post by mrdwhsr »

Wouldn't it be great if the gas tax actually did pay for all road construction and maintenance and even snow removal and traffic enforcement! Road use gas tax did not pay for the street in front of your house unless you live on a state or federal highway. The state and federal governments are both allocating funds from general revenues (income taxes, property taxes) for highway maintenance/construction because gas tax revenues have plummeted with rising gas prices and unemployment. It's a nice myth, but the gas taxes don't come close to paying for roads.

Sunny and 66 in San Diego County today..
RegisResident
Home Owners Association
Posts: 181
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:45 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Post by RegisResident »

Brad wrote:Here is a good one... 30% of the snow plows were broken after the last storm... They hope to have 90% running by this weeks storm!
The city could always take a hint from NYC and just equip the garbage trucks with snow plows... knock off two birds w/ one stone.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

RegisResident wrote:
Brad wrote:Here is a good one... 30% of the snow plows were broken after the last storm... They hope to have 90% running by this weeks storm!
The city could always take a hint from NYC and just equip the garbage trucks with snow plows... knock off two birds w/ one stone.
Did Ready Mix use to put plows on the mixer trucks and help plow?
bbinks
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1340
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:10 pm

Post by bbinks »

Brad wrote:
RegisResident wrote:
Brad wrote:Here is a good one... 30% of the snow plows were broken after the last storm... They hope to have 90% running by this weeks storm!
The city could always take a hint from NYC and just equip the garbage trucks with snow plows... knock off two birds w/ one stone.
Did Ready Mix use to put plows on the mixer trucks and help plow?
Yes, it's been maybe 5 years since I have seen them on the major streets though.
StreetsOfOmaha
City Council
Posts: 6865
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:46 pm

Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

What large snow storms can show us about our streets and how we treat pedestrians and cyclists

A couple good perspectives, and VERY appropriate given what I've seen in Omaha since the last big snow storm, and as we gear up for another round.

First, check out this EXCELLENT, short video by StreetFilms showing what a snow storm reveals about how much space cars really need to get around, and the safer environment it CAN create for pedestrians; slower traffic, extended sidewalks, etc.
http://www.streetfilms.org/street-lesso ... -blizzard/

ALSO,

Philadelphia bike shop owner Michael McGettigan shot this video which shows how, two days after the recent winter storm hit the east coast, the sidewalk on the Walnut Street Bridge -- the busiest pedestrian bridge crossing in the state of Pennsylvania -- remained uncleared. As a result, those on foot were forced out into the well-plowed roadway with motor vehicles.
[youtube][/youtube]

Clearly this is not a problem unique to Omaha, but gets at the heart of how pedestrians are thought of and treated in the United States.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
ShawJ
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1553
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:58 pm

Post by ShawJ »

The plowers get an A+ from me this time around.
omahastylee459
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1027
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2004 4:48 pm
Location: Nashua, NH

Post by omahastylee459 »

I agree, they plowed our streets last night, hopefully I won't be stuck inside all day like yesterday!
User avatar
guitarguy
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1292
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:39 am

Post by guitarguy »

I am so impressed with how well they cleared the streets this time. I just drove around some neighborhoods in NW Omaha and they are all clear and easily passable!

-adam
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

I can't believe it.  I got home at noon today and my whole neighborhood was done!
TechnicalDisaster
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1651
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: In Suburbia Paradise

Post by TechnicalDisaster »

At noon on Christmas Day the plows were in my neighborhood.  A+++++ this time around.  

And Bradley414 got a snow blower for Christmas.  It's a Christmas miracle!!!
"This is America.  It is my God given right to be loudly opinionated on issues I am completely ignorant of."
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

bradley414 wrote:At noon on Christmas Day the plows were in my neighborhood.  A+++++ this time around.  

And Bradley414 got a snow blower for Christmas.  It's a Christmas miracle!!!
Awesome Christmas Gift!

I on the other hand called a buddy that has a plow.  Normally I shovel my own driveway, but my neighbors are out of town and I said I would take care of their place....  Well 12+ inches of snow and 2 driveways later I caved in.  My buddy showed up and pushed the snow sideways across my driveway, my yard, and neighbors driveway!  There is about 3' of grass between the two drives.  Now the neighbors have 7+ feet of snow in their lawn, plus several feet in my lawn and 2 HUGE mountains at the end of each or our driveways.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033296
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Post by Uffda »

Anyone know someone who came down from Sioux City today?  I am making the trip tomorrow as I-29 just opened tonight in SDak. Just wondering what it is like in Iowa their website gives sketchy info.

Also what type of snowblowers are you guys getting.... I am afraid I am going to have a lot of snow to move by shovel not counting what got pushed into the end of my driveway.  :shock:
User avatar
OmahaJaysCU
Planning Board
Posts: 2164
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 6:00 pm

Post by OmahaJaysCU »

Wow, I'm surprised to hear everyone else giving great reviews.  Unfortunately, my neighborhood in SW Omaha has yet to be touched and is nearly impossible to get out of unless in an oversized SUV or pickup.
User avatar
nativeomahan
County Board
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:46 pm
Location: Omaha and Puerto Vallarta

Post by nativeomahan »

A+ all around, and they gave up their holiday to do so.
bbinks
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1340
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:10 pm

Post by bbinks »

This must be one of the winters that the old timers keep saying the newer generations have not experienced.  All I know is that the 6' drift along the back fence plus the mounds of snow on the sides of my driveway will likely be there until April.
joeglow
Planning Board
Posts: 2655
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:04 pm

Post by joeglow »

So, the city spent 5 minutes plowing our circle...and then spent 45 minutes digging out the fire hydrant they pushed all the snow on.  City taxes at work.

Frigging morons.
StreetsOfOmaha
City Council
Posts: 6865
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:46 pm

Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

No plows in my Park East neighborhood as of this morning, so as of right now, I give a C, which could change depending on when they come through.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
User avatar
S33
County Board
Posts: 4441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by S33 »

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:No plows in my Park East neighborhood as of this morning, so as of right now, I give a C, which could change depending on when they come through.
I'm confused, how could they improve from a C since it's already been long enough to warrant a C rating?  :)
StreetsOfOmaha
City Council
Posts: 6865
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:46 pm

Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

It couldn't, it could only get worse. That's what I meant by "it could change". I didn't say it could improve.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
StreetsOfOmaha
City Council
Posts: 6865
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:46 pm

Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

From the Omaha World-Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20091228/NEWS01/712289879
Those waiting for a city bus in Omaha must depend on the adjacent property owner to clear out the bus stop, said Curt Simon, a spokesman for Metro Area Transit.
FAIL

Anyway, it's 12:30 a.m. Tuesday morning and nary a plow has been seen in my neighborhood...

D.

Also from the above article:
Given the tall mounds of snow, pedestrians and joggers forced into the street should be extra wary.
Excuse me! More like the |expletive| car drivers need to be extra |expletive| wary they don't hit and kill a pedestrian since they have nowhere else to walk but in the street.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
Post Reply