In recent days, Columbia residents have been contacting the city with concerns about the timing of snow removal and the issues of access to driveways and residential streets. Snow plowing operations in Columbia continued on Tuesday, following five inches of snowfall over the weekend. Public Works spokesman John Ogan said plowing in residential areas began on Monday, 24 hours after snow had stopped.
“Residential streets, as you know, are plowed once priority roads are passable," Ogan said. "To promote fairness, the city alternates where residential plowing begins from one winter weather event to the next."
Before snowfall, parking enforcement issues fliers to residents on priority routes telling them to move their cars off of priority roads if snowfall reaches two inches. due to little snowfall this winter, warnings — rather than citations — were issued to residents still parking on priority routes. Ogan said he believes the city has sufficient signage telling people where not to park, to avoid their vehicles being plowed into snow drifts.
Assistant Public Works Director Lee White said the higher temperatures on Tuesday helped the roads clear.
“And with this particular snowfall, we saw the colder temperatures, which made the pre-treatment and the salt ineffective, especially on the onset,” White said. “So, we wound up with some snowpack on the roads.”
During snowfall, plows first clear high-traffic priority roads such as Broadway, Nifong and Old Highway 63 — then move to residential areas and neighborhoods. White said this helps them be efficient and avoid cars while they plow.
