Tag Archives: snow

Peoria Public Schools, Weather

Lathan says school will resume Monday

11 Comments

In this week’s “Remarkable Times,” the e-newsletter sent out by District 150, there’s this message from Dr. Grenita Lathan explaining why the schools have been closed so many days this week:

Peoria received its largest snowfall in many years and with it, Peoria Public Schools took one of its longest runs of consecutive snow days. School closures were not because of a lack of trying! In fact, we appreciate and congratulate the city, state and PPS staffs for a job well done! PPS would like to thank our Buildings and Grounds and Transportation employees for their tireless efforts to remove snow from our properties, parking lots and sidewalks, as well as for working to dig out our fleet of 150 buses. Our hand scheduling management Payroll staff and other twelve month employees also worked to keep the District operating during this time.

As mentioned above the District operates 150 buses and has 10,825 students eligible to ride the bus to and from school on any given day. When you combine those numbers and the amount of snow cleared from our city streets, it becomes clear why student safety is a concern. There are very few sidewalks cleared, forcing our students to wait or walk in the street. Add the large snow piles on street corners that block drivers’ views, and students’ safety becomes at risk.

I encourage our community, parents, neighbors and friends to help ensure a safe school day as we plan to return to school on Monday, by clearing sidewalks and driveways over the weekend, or at the least, a safe spot for students to stand as they wait for the bus. Drivers and students should also take extra caution during the school day.

With your assistance, we can help our students return to the classroom in a safe manner.

Thank you for your continued support of Peoria Public Schools!

City of Peoria, Peoria Public Schools

City: Residential plowing complete

6 Comments

The City sent out this announcement this morning at 6 a.m.:

Residential plowing is completed and 90% of alleys are being reported as plowed. The Snow Route Parking Ban is no longer in effect.

Even though residential plowing is completed, I’m told District 150 buses are still unable to traverse the residential streets, and that’s why school was cancelled today.

City of Peoria, Weather

Road update from City of Peoria (Updated)

Leave a comment

I received this update from the City of Peoria this afternoon:

Crews have worked throughout the day to clear residential streets. They are also focusing on the alley’s, which are fifty percent complete. City streets are still snow packed and ice covered. Drivers are encouraged to drive with caution because roads are slippery. With the cold temperatures expected overnight, road salt is not effective so please drive carefully.

Orange Prairie Road, off of Allen Road, has drifted shut. Crews will open this road overnight.

The Snow Route Parking Ban is still in effect and will remain in effect at least until tomorrow morning.

How long do you think the City will try to open “Orange Prairie Road, off of Allen Road” before they realize those roads don’t actually cross?

Update: Answer to my last question is about 13 minutes. Just got this update: “Orange Prairie Road, off of War Memorial Drive, has drifted shut. Crews will open this road overnight.”

Peoria Public Schools

Day 4: No School for D150

34 Comments

From District 150:

For the safety of our students, all district schools will be closed on Friday, February 4, 2011. All events and activities are cancelled for Friday. This closure will guarantee that school buses will be able to safely transport students on Monday. Please check the district website www.psd150.org for further information.

All 12 month employees are to report to work as scheduled on Friday. If 12 month employees have personal safety concerns due to weather or road conditions, please plan to use a vacation day.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Peoria Public Schools

D150 closes for third day in a row

23 Comments

District 150 announced this afternoon that “Due to weather and road conditions, Peoria Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, February 3, 2011.”

I have to admit, I’m really surprised by this announcement, which I received via e-mail this afternoon from the District. Given that it hasn’t snowed any more since early this morning, and the City crews have been working around the clock, I really expected things to be clear enough by tomorrow that the buses could get through and school would be back in session. But I’m not complaining, either. It won’t hurt to give the City another day to get things cleaned up before the kids go back.

City of Peoria, Weather

Snowstorm updates from City of Peoria 2/2/2011

10 Comments

City update 6:44 a.m., 2/2/2011:

A blizzard warning is in effect.

Contract and city crews continued to plow streets overnight, with the intent of maintaining one lane of traffic.

Our area has received a large amount of snow during the night with significant drifting from high winds. We urge you not to travel. It is very unlikely that anyone will reach their destination if an attempt to travel is made. If you do go out, please use caution and call ahead to make sure that the place you are attempting to reach is open.

Abandoned vehicles that are stuck in the street will compromise the City’s attempt to plow the streets. Police have begun to tow cars off of streets that still remain on designated snow routes.

If you have issues related to your street, the public works call center can be reached by calling 494-8850.

The Parking Ban is still in effect.

City update 7:31 a.m., 2/2/2011:

Our Emergency Communications Center has remained busy throughout the storm with calls from stuck motorists who are trapped in their vehicles. They utilized all means to get to them; Police, Fire, County Highway, IDOT, Public Works; even the Army National Guard. In many instances, the responders themselves got stuck trying to help the citizens.

Our 9-1-1 count for yesterday was 366. Our non-emergency phone calls totaled over 750 calls. A quick count shows our incoming calls were well over 1,100.

The ECC was struck by lightning at 8:45 p.m. last night. This caused our main police radios and several phone consoles, along with some other equipment to go down. Vendors were called in and worked until 3:00 a.m. to restore full service. No calls or service was lost as we used our back up systems.

City of Peoria, Weather

Here comes the snow!

24 Comments

The City of Peoria has issued the following press release regarding the Big Snow Storm of 2011:

NEWS RELEASE

Date: January 31, 2011
Released by: Alma Brown, Communications Manager, 494-8554
Subject: SNOW STORM PREPARATION

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning from 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, through Noon on Wednesday. There are several details that we would like the public to be aware of in advance of the snow storm.

The City of Peoria will declare a parking ban effective 8:00 a.m., on Tuesday, February 1, 2011. If you live on a snow route, please begin moving your cars so that crews will be able to adequately plow the streets. Parking on a designated snow routes is prohibited until the ban is lifted. The fine for parking on a snow route during a parking ban is $200. Notices regarding the parking ban will be displayed on billboards throughout the city.

City crews will focus on clearing primary streets (snow routes) throughout the storm. It is imperative that we keep major thoroughfares open, therefore, residential streets will not be plowed until the snow routes have been cleared.

Please do not travel unless it is necessary. If you must travel, please have an emergency car care kit in your vehicle and carry a cell phone.

When you start the process of shoveling snow from your property, please do not blow or shovel the snow into the street. This just hampers our ability to clear snow from the streets. We would also like for owners of commercial property to be sure that snow cleared from their property remains on their location.

If you have an emergency, please call 911. Please do not call 911 to ask about snow operations.

We will open an emergency command center at Noon tomorrow.

Once the snow event starts, the City will open a call center to address calls relating to snow removal. The call center can be reached by calling 494-8850. Periodic updates can also be received by calling the snow update hotline at (309) 494-8830. Citizens are encouraged to log onto the City’s website at www.ci.peoria.il.us and sign up for e-alerts. Storm updates will be sent out via e-mail citizens throughout the day. We will keep the public informed by providing updates to the media twice a day. Storm updates can also be found on the City’s website and on a crawl going across Channel 22.

A detailed snow plan map can be viewed by going to the City’s website: www.ci.peoria.il.us/snow.

PDC Services residential routes may be delayed due to expected weather conditions for Central Illinois. PDC officials will make a determination on Tuesday morning at 9:00 a. m. if garbage trucks will operate or not on Wednesday, February 1, 2011. The decision will be based on driving conditions and driver safety. We ask all customers to place trash in an accessible place on the scheduled collection day.

City of Peoria, Sidewalks

Sidewalks, snow, and people with disabilities

11 Comments

WMBD-TV channel 31 is reporting that disabled residents are having a hard time getting around the city because sidewalks are not cleared of snow. Last month, readers of the Peoria Chronicle debated whether or not residents and businesses should be required to shovel snow off the sidewalk in front of their property. Here’s the answer WMBD heard as a result of their investigation:

[JoAnne] Rose says “I’m in constant fear of getting stuck, and not able to get out, then what do I do.” …She’s now challenging residents put themselves in her shoes– “Tie themselves into a wheel chair where they can’t move their limbs and try to get around.”

The issue regarding pedestrian mobility in Peoria goes beyond removing snow from the sidewalks a few times in the winter. It also involves having sidewalks in the first place, and then keeping them in good repair. Unfortunately, these are the two things the city doesn’t do very well.

There needs to be a comprehensive transportation plan for the city that addresses not just automobile traffic, but all modes of transportation. We need a strategic plan that sets the vision for mobility within the city and has an action plan for reaching that vision over a number of years. It will take a long time to implement because of the cost involved, but nothing will ever change if we aren’t intentional about planning to make the city more accessible. I’m not talking about merely meeting ADA requirements, but actually making the city’s transportation network/infrastructure multi-modal.

Perhaps the Traffic Commission could add that to their work plan, since they don’t appear to have anything else on their agenda.

Sidewalks

Should city require snow to be cleared from sidewalks?

49 Comments

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “Private Property, residential or commercial property owners and occupants are required to clear the sidewalks abutting their property of snow or ice within 24 hours after the snow and ice have stopped falling.” An assistance program is provided for senior citizens and disabled persons who have no one in their household physically capable of clearing the snow, or who are unable to contract with someone to clear the sidewalk for them. The cost for the service is added to their property tax bill.

The City of Peoria has no ordinance requiring residential or commercial property owners to clear the sidewalks, nor does the city provide sidewalk-clearing services, leaving pedestrians with no other option but to walk in the street.

The question of the day is: Should Peoria institute a snow-clearing ordinance similar to Milwaukee’s? Why or why not?

City of Peoria

City crews just about done plowing

2 Comments

From a press release:

City crews have completed final plowing and salting operations on primary streets during the night. Motorists can expect primary streets to be slushy and wet during the morning rush.

Plowing on residential streets was delayed due to additional snow during the night. Residential streets are 95% complete, with the expectation of being 100% by 10:00 a.m. this morning. Crews will begin alley plowing this morning and hope to have them completed by late afternoon.