The Chainlink

[VENT] Effing city plow drivers

Every year it's the same crap.  The plow drivers push mountains of snow onto heavily used sidewalks where streets dead-end at the boulevard. Many which have already been cleared by local churches and schools. Same thing with every one that isn't protected by a guard rail (24th place/California, Francisco/24th Blvd, 24th/Marshall, 23rd place/Marshall, 22nd place/Marshall.)

Been dealing with the exact same thing for about 8 years straight.

24th/Marshall, tonight:

No trouble walking on the sidewalks down the boulevard except for this.

Stoopid stoopid stoopid.

No answer at 311.  Online service request not functional.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 6, 2014 at 8:56pm

That's an interesting issue.

I worked in snow removal for along time and there are often times where figuring out where to push the snow can be an issue but a quick look at a map makes it look like they could push the snow the other direction.  

I'm interested in how this ends up resolved because it never should be an issue in the first place.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 6, 2014 at 9:22pm

I can tell you how it usually gets resolved:

First I have to get a 311 operator who doesn't suck (there are two I can get late at night who are usually pretty good-- most are completely inappropriate and not fit for their jobs).

I have to put in a separate service request for each location.

In the past they'd have to send someone to 'fix' each location.*

Additionally, sometimes I'd talk to the alderman, usually I'd discuss it with my Streets and San guy (if I can reach him.)

They typically don't have much trouble understanding the problem, and do seem to get that we have people being able to get places on foot around here,  and sometimes it gets better for that year-- but come the next winter it's rinse and repeat.

*the 311 system and service request responses have gone way down the tubes under Rahm.  I have little faith anything will come of a 311 report at this point. The city that doesn't work.

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on January 6, 2014 at 10:51pm

I've had great success using:

http://en.seeclickfix.com/

There is an app available for all four smartphone OSs.(Android, Windows, Apple, and Blackberry)

It will send a message out to all services and others (alderman, etc.) monitoring the feed for that area.

You can take a picture, notate a location, description of the issue, etc.

You can then track the progress of the report.

Permalink Reply by mike w. on January 7, 2014 at 4:43am

The snow has to go somewhere. What do you suggest?

 

Get over it. i melts eventually.

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on January 7, 2014 at 8:30am

I somewhat agree... But, I don't think the sidewalk is the correct place to plow the snow onto.

mike w. said:

The snow has to go somewhere. What do you suggest?

 

Get over it. i melts eventually.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on January 7, 2014 at 8:59am

I totally disagree. When a school, church, business (profit or non-profit) puts forth the effort (and expense) to do the correct (responsible thing) and the city totally disregards it; it is wrong.

 

I realize streets and sanitation is under tight constraints; but they could be a little more flexible in preventing a problem that they will never solve.

 

just my $.02

 

DB

Tom Z said:

I somewhat agree... But, I don't think the sidewalk is the correct place to plow the snow onto.

mike w. said:

The snow has to go somewhere. What do you suggest?

 

Get over it. i melts eventually.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 7, 2014 at 9:54am

Not the sidewalk maybe?

Snow removal is about getting the snow out of where you are contracted to clear WITHOUT putting it somewhere it is an inconvenience/hazard to others.  Private contractors cannot legally block sidewalks or other spaces with the snow they move why should the city?

mike w. said:

The snow has to go somewhere. What do you suggest?

 

Get over it. i melts eventually.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on January 7, 2014 at 11:53am

I remember one of the codgers in my building mentioning the city had a fleet of dump trucks trucks with conveyor belts to scoop snow in front and move it to the dump body.  But they were left outside for a number of years and then sold off or scrapped.

A lot of garbage trucks also seem to have front PTOs on them, but I have no idea what kind of equipment they use.

Permalink Reply by David P. on January 7, 2014 at 5:19pm

Refuse trucks that are so equipped have the same plow attachments that the salt/plow trucks do, and can use the same blades.

Permalink Reply by Sam Van Dellen on January 7, 2014 at 7:22pm

Wow.  I mean, really, wow.  I happen to know that there are two people currently using wheelchairs who live within 500 feet of that sidewalk, should they just magically float over the snow?  That doesn't even begin to cover the hundreds of families who walk by that corner to drop their kids off at one of the two schools located on either side of Marshall Blvd, many of whom are pushing strollers with younger children in them. 

mike w. said:

The snow has to go somewhere. What do you suggest?

 

Get over it. i melts eventually.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 7, 2014 at 10:15pm

I found lots of uncleared sidewalks on my walk home from the train tonight - both commercial and residential locations.  Most folks on my block do a good job. Why can't these others, especially at commercial properties?

I was rather underwhelmed to find that online 311 reporting was non-functional. Tried several times with the same result.  I had no desire to spend a long time on hold to get a sub-par 311 operator and then give my list of addresses.  Will have to try again later or tomorrow morning. Grrr!!!

h' 1.0 said:

I can tell you how it usually gets resolved:

First I have to get a 311 operator who doesn't suck (there are two I can get late at night who are usually pretty good-- most are completely inappropriate and not fit for their jobs).

I have to put in a separate service request for each location.

In the past they'd have to send someone to 'fix' each location.*

Additionally, sometimes I'd talk to the alderman, usually I'd discuss it with my Streets and San guy (if I can reach him.)

They typically don't have much trouble understanding the problem, and do seem to get that we have people being able to get places on foot around here,  and sometimes it gets better for that year-- but come the next winter it's rinse and repeat.

*the 311 system and service request responses have gone way down the tubes under Rahm.  I have little faith anything will come of a 311 report at this point. The city that doesn't work.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on January 8, 2014 at 10:42am

So the PTO handles the blade hydraulics?  That makes sense.  Plus I guess they can operate as emergency lawn mowers or threshers if needed!

David P. said:

Refuse trucks that are so equipped have the same plow attachments that the salt/plow trucks do, and can use the same blades.

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