[E-updates] Winter weather forecast sets City crews in motion; Transit a post -storm option

[Lisa Patterson]

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		

City of Lawrence, Kansas

January 30, 2004

CONTACT:  Chuck Soules, director of Public Works, (785) 832-3133
and
Karin Rexroad, public transit administrator, (785) 832-3464

Winter weather forecast sets City crews in motion; Transit a post-storm
option

(Lawrence, Kansas) - The National Weather Service has issued winter storm
advisories for northeast Kansas over the weekend, giving Lawrence residents
an opportunity to plan for the possible snow storm.  

City of Lawrence Street Maintenance employees will begin working in shifts
on Saturday night to allow 24-hour operations, if necessary.  Crews follow a
"snow plan" for winter operations treating routes in a priority order from
most traveled streets to least traveled streets.  Established priorities are
traffic routes, bus routes, schools, and major employment centers.  In
general, winter operations progress from arterial streets such as Iowa or
6th Street to collector streets such as Tennessee or Lawrence Avenue to
areas around schools then residential streets and cul-de-sacs.  

Crews follow the same routes for spreading sand and salt for icy conditions
and small accumulations of snow.  Snow plowing operations are generally not
effective if there is less than a three-inch accumulation of snow.  

Snow plowing - parked cars and driveways
The Public Works Department asks citizens to move cars off the street where
feasible.  Crews plow snow around cars that are left parked on the street,
creating a maneuvering challenge for snowplow operators and on coming cars.
The resulting snow around a vehicle left on the street must moved by the
car's owner.

There is a windrow of snow left at the curb when city crews plow snow.
Unfortunately, the windrows do block driveways.  Residents and businesses
needing access to those drives are responsible for removing the windrow
after crews have plowed.

Be a good neighbor
Residents are responsible for the snow removal in driveways and on sidewalks
adjacent to their properties.  The Public Works Department encourages
everyone to be a good neighbor and consider neighbors and friends who do not
have the ability to shovel snow.  Let neighbors know ahead of time if you
are willing to help remove snow and return after the street is plowed to
remove the windrow.

Trash services
City crews will operate normal residential and commercial trash services as
conditions allow.  If conditions become too hazardous for crews and
equipment, operations will be suspended until the following day.  In
commercial areas and parking lots, owners should not block enclosures when
having the lots plowed, or crews will not be able to empty the containers.

Lawrence Transit System an option if winter storm hits
The Lawrence Transit System is an alternative to driving on Monday morning
if the snow falls on Sunday.  During snow and following a winter storm, the
"T" can provide safe, warm and reliable transportation.  Riders can avoid
scraping snow and ice from the car and warming up the car.  

The routes of the "T" were designed to follow the arterial streets and those
routes correspond to the snow plan followed by the Public Works crews when
treating the streets.

Individuals planning their ride on the "T" should pick up a route map or
visit the web site at www.lawrencetransit.org.  To plan your trip, locate
your destination and the nearest route and then your beginning location and
the current route.  The color-coded timetables provide the schedule for the
individual routes.  Determine the departure time shown on the schedule prior
to where you are standing along the route. This is the time you want to be
standing at your location to flag down a bus.

You can board the "T" at any designated bus stop location, sign, shelter,
major intersection or business access point along a route.  Raise your arm
and flag an approaching bus and drivers will stop.  During winter weather,
riders should stand back from the curb while waiting for the bus to avoid
slipping or being splashed by traffic.  

Riders will find that drivers are excellent resources when learning to ride
public transportation and are encouraged to ask for assistance.  For more
information on riding the Lawrence Transit System, call 312-7054.

In the event of extremely bad weather, the Public Transit Administrator and
the General Manager of MV Transportation will decide whether the system will
run the following day.  If the decision is reached to not operate transit
services, the Public Transit Administrator will notify Channel 6, KANU and
KLWN-LAZER.


_____________________________
Lisa K. Patterson
Communications Coordinator
City of Lawrence
PO Box 708
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 832-3406
fax (785) 832-3405
lpatterson at ci.lawrence.ks.us
http://www.lawrenceks.org