City of Chicago Prepares for Winter Snowfall

Lee Edwards | As of Wednesday, January 7, 2015

The City of Chicago has improved how city residents are informed about the snow removal operations via the Plow Tracker tool on the city’s website among other initiatives in an effort to prepare for this year's winter snowfall.
The City of Chicago has improved how city residents are informed about the snow removal operations via the Plow Tracker tool on the city’s website among other initiatives in an effort to prepare for this year's winter snowfall.

In light of the first significant snowfall of the season and frigid temperatures, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was recently briefed by Department of Streets and Sanitation Commissioner, Charles Williams, on how things were going.

“Snow plow drivers did a tremendous job throughout Saturday morning responding to the ice, snow and rain impacting Chicago streets," said Emanuel. "City drivers are on alert and are prepared to respond to snowfall again early Sunday morning."

At the beginning of winter, the City announced a more proactive approach to ensure that hiccups experienced last year will not be repeated. One way of doing that is by improving how city residents are informed about the snow removal operations via the Plow Tracker tool on the city’s website. The City will also replace salt distributors and snow removal vehicles with updated ones, and increase the amount of salt the city has on-hand for use.

“The City of Chicago is using technology to provide residents with the tools and support they need to be prepared for winter conditions,” said Emanuel. “New enhancements to the Plow Tracker tool will show the real-time progress of snow plows, including direction of travel, so that residents can check to see when a plow is coming their way.”

Plow Tracker was launched in 2012 as part of www.ChicagoShovels.org, a website focused entirely on snow in Chicago. From tracking snow plows to sharing shovels, this website is designed to help Chicagoans work together during winter weather as well as track snow removal operations on city streets.

This year on Plow Tracker via the City's website, residents will be able to watch snow removal operations on a larger map with an improved snow plow icon design. Additionally, residents can view the direction of travel for all snow removal vehicles in real-time. Residents will also be able to more easily read current snow conditions along with viewing snowfall totals for each snow system and or the entire winter season.

“The Plow Tracker tool is an important component of the City’s communication with residents throughout the winter season,” said DSS Commissioner Charles L. Williams. “The Department worked closely with [the Department of Innovation and Technology] to enhance the Plow Tracker tool to provide much needed information to residents on citywide snow removal operation.”

Plow Tracker is activated as a real-time tool by the City during major snow events, allowing residents to follow snow removal operations as plows begin on arterial streets and then move to neighborhood streets once the snow has stopped.

The City has also made inroads in ensuring that its snow plow trucks, 4x4 plows and salt dispensing trucks are up-to-date, and, with respect to last year’s salt deficiencies, the City has ordered over 115,000 more tons of salt than what it started with last year according to Molly Poppe, Director of Public Affairs, Department of Streets and Sanitation.

“We’ve been preparing really since last spring for this upcoming winter,” said Poppe. “We have 400,000 tons of salt on the ground for the start of the winter season, that’s about 115,000 more tons of salt this year than what we had last year. Other new things are we’re replacing some of our older salt spreaders; we’re replacing 19 new salt spreaders.”

Throughout the winter, the City will activate the Plow Tracker tool during major snow events along with updating residents on snow removal operations through the Mayor’s Office Twitter account: @ChicagosMayor and the Department of Streets and Sanitations twitter account: @StreetsandSan.

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