With what has seemed like a relentless stretch of snowy and cold weather, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans emphasized some safety tips during a stop Tuesday at the city’s operations center on Mount Read Boulevard.
One of the key things Evans wants to remind city residents is that although city does plow sidewalks when 4 inches of new snow has accumulated, we often get lesser amounts — and then whatever is not shoveled or cleared can freeze up.
“So if you only get an inch of snow, or 2 inches of snow, and you say, ‘Oh, it’s going to warm up, it’ll just melt away, I don’t have to clear it,’ that hasn’t been the case with this weather that we’ve been seeing,” Evans said. “Because you might get 32 degrees one day, but then, within a couple of hours later, it’s below 32 and that snow that thought was going to melt, it turns to ice.”
The mayor noted that property owners in the city are responsible for keeping sidewalks adjacent to their property clear of snow and ice.
Evans also noted that the city will plow and salt major roads on a continuous basis after a snowfall, while the plowing of residential side streets happens when at least 3 inches of snow has fallen.
There have been concerns with some communities in New York state and other parts of the Northeast getting enough road salt. Livingston County-based American Rock Salt has had some challenges keeping up with demand this season.
But Evans said the city of Rochester is in good shape in terms of the salt supply.
“So far we have gotten our orders,” Evans said. “We are monitoring the situation closely in terms of the shortage and what other municipalities may not be getting. But we are good right now, but obviously cautious and making sure that we have a plan in the event that we do end up running low on salt.
Earlier this month, American Rock Salt said it has been taking additional measures to increase supply.
Evans also asks people who park on city streets to observe the alternate side of the street parking regulations, so that plow drivers can do what they need to do to clear streets.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for counties including Monroe, Livingston, Ontario and Wayne from 4 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday. Mixed precipitation is expected with total snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches.
More snow is expected over the weekend.
