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Editorial: Here’s to snow-free roads
Op-Ed · February 05, 2015
Just want to take a moment to thank the snowplow drivers and their efforts over the weekend to keep this city’s roads as clean as possible during a snowstorm that started off wet and slippery and transitioned into powdery and slippery over a 24-hour-plus event.
And we also recognize that there are a bunch of others out there plowing the streets than just the City of West Branch crew, though their largely white pickup trucks tend to pop to mind most readily. Mayor Mark Worrell put a blade on his Big Timber truck, S&S Flatwork cleared the areas around the schools, and a few residents even got into the action with personal equipment. Of course, the Hoover National Historic Site had its own roads and parking lots to clear, not to mention boardwalks and trails.
Surely these guys took breaks, but the sound of metal dragging on asphalt never seemed to let up over those two days. And even more, the plows ran after the storm Monday and Tuesday to widen the pathways just a bit more, and to dig out downtown parking, hauling tons and tons of flakes to the unused parts of the cemetery.
Thanks to the efforts of these folks, especially those who missed time with families (and possibly watching the Super Bowl!), residents turned on their cars and trucks Monday morning like we always do and scuttled off to work.
Yep, the streets are not perfect. The snow packed down hard and much turned to ice. We saw and heard wheels spinning trying to get up some of the hills.
But those who are careful can get from point A to point B.
Such was not true in the country, as many folks were still snowed in late Monday morning while Cedar County crews still tended to their larger network of gravel roads, thus keeping school from opening that day.
The roads were in considerably good shape for the volume of snow that fell on our city, so it is important for us to remember the time and effort of everyone who pitched in to help. And thank them.
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