"Stay home": City's message during snow storm
Nov 07, 2024
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The snow is coming down steadily with no signs of stopping soon.
While many are enjoying snow days, for others, staying off the roads isn't an option.
FOX21 News saw a few people sliding around on Thursday, Nov. 7 as they tried to make a turn or as they approached a stop light.
The man in charge of city snow crews, Corey Farkas, said this is the most snow for this time of year that he can remember for quite a while. As the Public Works Operations and Maintenance Division Manager, he's asking folks to stay home.
"Main roads are good. Back roads are horrible," said local resident Michael Borrello, as he filled up his gas tank in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
In an effort to keep everyone safe, the city has been doing non-stop snow removal since the first band of snow hit on Tuesday.
"There's not a lot we can do during those times when we get heavy, heavy snow banding, during a heavy, heavy snowfall. We can't keep up, with keeping (the) road(s) open," said Farkas. "As soon as you plow a certain segment of roadway, and make your turn to come back, it's already covered over."
Colorado Springs snow crews run 12-hour shifts in 24-hour rotations. The city said these extended three- to four-day snow events, with different storms hitting back to back, are taxing on their crews.
"If you do need to go out, we really ask that you give these (snow plow) operators plenty of space. They're operating a big, heavy, piece of equipment. They're operating a plow and a sander simultaneously. These trucks have limited visibility when they're out on the road. So just because you can see them doesn't mean they can see you," said Farkas. "We do our best to clear the roadways to try to keep it as safe as we possibly can, but we can't control everything. Especially Mother Nature."
The city expects they will be doing snow removal through Saturday, but of course that's all dependent on when this snow storm slows down.