SUFFOLK PUBLIC WORKS CREWS PREPARING FOR WINTER STORM
Suffolk Department of Public Works crews have been staffed 24 hours a day on 12 hour shifts since yesterday morning, Thursday, January 20, 2022, preparing for the winter weather our area is expecting into the weekend.
Crews have been patrolling roadways, monitoring weather conditions and responding to any issues as they arise. Today, Friday, January 21st, crews began pretreating arterial roads with brine solution prior to the second round of snow and will treat hot spots on roadways as time permits. Those primary roadways include Route 58, Route 460, Route 13/32, College Drive, Route 10 and Route 17.
As previously advised, staff are encouraging residents to limit travel ahead of the forecasted winter weather’s arrival and especially during the onset of hazardous driving conditions. A City produced public service announcement related to winter driving safety tips can be viewed at this link: https://youtu.be/b_EZ7FTsOeE.
The Public Works Roadway Division is responsible for clearing snow and ice from Suffolk public streets. The primary purpose of snow removal is to clear snow for emergency vehicles, hospital access, and service vehicles such as school buses, public transit buses and refuse trucks. With safety and emergency accessibility being the primary concerns, the first priority is given to all primary or main roadways, followed by secondary arterials and connectors. Neighborhood streets are cleared last and, due to the size of the equipment, configuration of neighborhood streets and the presence of cars parked on the street, may not be accessible by City plows. An interactive map of the City’s priority routes for public paved roadways within the City can be viewed online: https://suffolkva.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=159217ab90c34c8da06e5a9207fea2af. Please note that removal timeframes and priority are subject to change with weather conditions.
When it becomes necessary to operate snowplows, residents can assist in the efficiency of snow removal by doing the following:
--Avoid travel unless absolutely necessary; if you must travel, please drive cautiously and slowly, removing all snow and ice from the whole vehicle before driving
--Leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles
--Stay back and avoid passing snow plows; snow or abrasive can come from the plow while operating
--Avoid parking on streets when snow or ice is predicted
--Shovel sidewalks as soon as possible after storm; however, avoid shoveling snow from driveways or sidewalks into the roadway
--Clear snow around fire hydrants; firefighters will be able to respond more quickly in the event of an emergency
To report roadway issues, citizens can contact Public Works at 757-514-7600.