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City of Duluth Spring Snow Plowing Challenges

With yet another snow storm forecasted today and tomorrow, the City of Duluth would like make public aware of recent spring snow plow challenges. Plowing our city streets in temperatures of 10 to 20 below and plowing our streets in the spring bring different challenges to our City snow plow staff.  When temperatures freeze the ground, snow plow operators can take the snow plow blade and place it next to the ground clearing the road or alley of most snow, but recently the ground has become wet and soft due large amounts of snow and above-freezing temperatures which are causing difficult snow grading or plowing conditions.  Snow plowing or grading of soft wet gravel surfaces could cause damage to the road surface and make passability worse.

Maintenance Operations staff indicated many gravel alleys have become very soft due to the large amount of precipitation we have received paired with the above-freezing temperatures. Some alleys that have been plowed have sustained damage due to this, causing the condition of the alley to be worse instead of better. Maintenance Operations is monitoring the situation and doing what they can to mediate; however, if these weather conditions persist, it might get worse before it gets better.

We would also like remind residents to follow the alternate side parking rules and keep trash cans out of the roadway. We hope this is the last snow storm of the season.

For more information contact Kelly Fleissner at 218-730-4491.

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