DETROIT – Detroit Public Works deployed its full fleet of salt trucks and snow plows on Monday to tackle approximately five inches of snowfall, with additional contractors called in to clear residential streets, despite the deployment being below the typical threshold for such work.
“We ended up with just around five inches in Detroit. So thankfully, that’s an amount that, you know, we manage well. It’s like just another routine snow for us,” said Sam Krassenstein, Detroit Public Works Deputy Director.
The city maintains responsibility for about 2,600 miles of roadways, with major roads — approximately 700 miles — receiving top priority during snow events.
“At any given time, we have about 30 salt trucks on the road doing a combination of plowing with their underbody plows under the trucks, and salting as they go,” Krassenstein said.
While the city typically activates private contractors only when snowfall reaches six inches or more to handle the 1,900 miles of residential streets, officials made an exception for this storm.
The decision came in response to accumulated snow from previous storms and forecasted cold temperatures.
“Because we’ve had previous snows that have been accumulating on the streets, and because it’s going to be particularly cold for the next two weeks, we wanted to offer this additional service for the residents of the city,” Krassenstein explained.
Across Detroit, residents spent the day clearing their own properties. Michael Stauch, a Detroit resident, expressed satisfaction with the winter weather: “I am happy to see another good accumulation of snow. It’s nice.”
Initial responses to the city’s efforts appear positive. “The residential streets are not bad at all,” said resident Cliff Green.
For streets still awaiting clearance, Detroit Public Works asks for patience. Krassenstein noted that “contractors do have until midnight, and we have teams of inspectors that are out behind them making sure that the streets are done correctly.”