Walking on Thin Ice, to Work

By Timmy Watson in News on Feb 10, 2007 3:42PM

Carefully tip-toeing across the sheets of ice adorning the sidewalks on our way in to the offices this morning really got to us. Why the hell can cars drive past us on completely plowed roads while our toes are about to fall off from four day old snow?

The culprits are consistent at least, the same few houses either: don’t shovel their sidewalks at all, shovel one straight line that is suitable for tight rope walking, shovel the walkway to their car, or, in the case of corner lots, shovel the area they walk on the most. If we sound bitter, it’s because we are.

Using GPS, the city has the ability to track down and monitor their vehicles to get snow off of the roads as fast as possible. While that’s great, they have failed at protecting pedestrians that walk on streets other than those that are considered high traffic. This is partly due to the scant policy surrounding snow and ice removal and partly due to lack of enforcement.

Ordinance 10-8-180 states, “Every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or other person having charge of any building or lot of ground in the city abutting upon any public way or public place shall remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of such building or lot of ground.” They are required to clear the entire sidewalk or 5 feet of snow/ice.

Where the ordinance fails is the lack of repercussions, frustrated that we could not find any information on fines for failing to comply we gave 311 a call. You can use 311 to report a neighbor that has not cleared the sidewalks three hours after snowfall (or 10 a.m., depending on whether it is after 4 p.m. or a Sunday). According to the operator, the owner could be fined, but they would most likely receive a violation.

Any neighborhoods out there where this isn’t such a problem? Our area has a few houses that are being rehabbed so the owner is probably just too busy buying stainless steel appliances. Maybe it isn’t such an issue in other neighborhoods?