With Snow Comes Snow Plow Tracker, Reminders To Drive Safe, Help Neighbors

Image via Chicago Snow Plow Tracker website.

With the first significant snowfall of the season starting to fall, and sticking, eyes here at Chicagoist are focused on how the City's "Snow Plow Tracker" web app will work.

An estimated four to seven inches of snow means we have the "major snow event" necessary for the tracker to be activated. If the image above is an indication, the tracker will look a lot like an Atari 2600 videogame when the snow is falling hard. Here's what the tracker looks like right now, after we typed in the address of Chicagoist's Bridgeport headquarters.

Image via Chicago Snow plow tracker screen grab.

Too bad there isn't an "I can't drive when it snows" tracker. That might be the most exciting thing online this side of a round of Grand Theft Auto.

Both the city and state are taking steps to make sure commutes aren't severely impeded, and are reminding drivers to use their heads when driving in this weather.

“We want all motorists to be aware of winter road conditions and encourage drivers to slow down, buckle up, and cooperate with snow plows,” said Ann Schneider, Secretary for the Illinois Department of Transportation. “IDOT winter crews remain prepared to clear state roadways as needed, but we also ask motorists to take the necessary steps to help ensure their personal safety as well.”

IDOT has 400,000 tons of salt, 3,600 employees and 1,700 pieces of snow plows and other equipment set for deployment on 43,000 lane miles of Tollway. The mild winter leading up to today no doubt helped IDOT and CDOT in their expenses and stockpiling.

CDOT has already sent out half of its snow plow fleet and no major delays have been reported at O'Hare and Midway Airports. But it's early.

It isn't too early to assist your neighbors and we'll use that to remind interested readers to visit the City's "Chicago Shovels" website to find neighbors and sidewalks that need shoveling or to share snow removal equipment.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in News on January 12, 2012 11:00 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

John Meehan

Check out this timelapse video of the plows in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

dopplerd

So basically worthless, just like a lot of the snow command. Is there an API so someone can build a useful site with the tracking data? No to mention the fact that Chicago has 275 snow plows that are basically useless in Chicago. Those GIGANTIC front plows are for clearing drifts from rural roads not the 2 inches of slush they need to clear in Chicago. The front plow prevents them from maneuvering down side streets effectively. Underbody plows are more manuverable, better for the clearing slush, and don't cause as much damage to the roadway. How many underbody plows does Chicago own? Zero. But I can track on my computer where the plows are now. Great.

ChicagoD

You remind me why I don't feel bad being a prick to people I really don't know.

Nicholas

This is a ridiculous app.

Jen

This is such a cool service.
I hate the winter - I usually just fire up the fireplace,set my Chicago home security system and hibernate until May 1.

slickpoetry

great spamjob, Jen! bravo!

Chris Jones

i signed up for the "Snow Corps", but I'm not sure if the people in need know to call 311 for the service. I mentioned to the CVS pharmacy that they might put out a flyer or something to get the word out since they see a lot of seniors in the neighborhood. We'll see. I'll have my shovel ready either way.

igloobunny

Apparently, Southwest has canceled all flights to and from Midway between 1pm and 6pm... so perhaps they know something we don't.

John

The tracker app is useless. Why do I care where the plows are? What they ought to display is what roads have been plowed in the last 1/3/5 hours updated in real time. That is the useful info that people want. This is just an inconsequential first step. Hopefully they will improve it in the future.

Michelle Meywes

Are they going to have a site to report a-holes who dont shovel their walk?!

oonagh1

I have every intention of calling 311 or my alderman to report those who do not shovel their walk. The route I take to and from work is either in front of a business or a multi-family building. There is no excuse for those walks not be shoveled.

slatsg

The Adopt a Sidewalk (not yet launched) and Snow Corps features seem like they could be cool and useful (although I doubt many Chicagoans will use them) but the Plow Tracker doesn't really serve much of a purpose. It took me about ten minutes ("Transferring data from www.cityofchicago.org ... Waiting for
https://gisapps.cityofchicago.... ... Error on page ...") to finally see that there are currently four plows in the Edgewater area. How is that helpful? On Bus Tracker, it helps to know the 36 is 4 blocks away ... but how useful is it to know that a plow with no determined route is within a half mile of my street? Is there something I'm missing? Will the map show the traveled path of the plows? Just seems more whizbang than useful.