Little consideration goes long way when bad weather hits

With our first major winter storm of the season expected to hit our metro area big time today, many motorists will be in for a real culture shock.

Time for a little reconsideration about how to react to make the life easier for street crews who will be out cleaning roadways in an effort to keep emergency routes open so they can be traveled if necessary.

On that note, parked vehicles on roadways always present big problems during heavy snowfalls. City ordinance states vehicles cannot park in any one place on a street or alley for longer than 72 hours.

When a heavy snowfall hits, parking restrictions automatically go into effect on all primary snow emergency routes where there has been an accumulation of snow and ice of three inches or more for one hour or more between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.

What this means simply is streets need to be vehicle free during this time, so snow cleanup can move forward unhindered as quickly as possible.

Ice and snow-covered sidewalks also become an issue.

Keeping sidewalks ice and snow free is the responsibility of the property owner or occupant.

When it comes to the first blast of winter, accompanied by substantial snowfall, a little bit of common sense and consideration always goes a long way.

If you know you might be causing a problem for snow removal crews, take the time to move your vehicle, and don't wait for the snow to become rock hard on your sidewalk before you clean it off.

Being reactive right away will make the job a whole lot easier for everyone involved.