Department of Public Works crews have been out since Monday night keeping emergency routes plowed and salted, and will continue the efforts as snow continues to fall Tuesday. The City of Muscatine plans to implement the Push Back Policy starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday as crews continue moving snow and clearing streets.
In addition, parking will be restricted in Downtown Muscatine Wednesday evening and Thursday morning for snow removal.
A Snow Emergency was declared on Monday and runs from 6 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Wednesday. City staff continue to monitor the forecast and may need to issue another snow emergency for Friday and Saturday.
Brian Stineman, director of the Department of Public Works, said that crews hope to be able to move into residential areas sometime today to get them “opened up” (one pass with plow in each direction).
“We currently have everything with a plow on it being used to push snow and hope to get ahead of things, if possible,” Stineman said.
Implementing the Push Back Policy allows crews better opportunity to clear emergency routes and residential streets.
“With extreme cold temperatures in the forecast, it will be very important to get the snow pushed back as far as possible before it freezes so hard that we cannot move it. We will need as much cooperation as possible from residents who park on the street to make this possible.”
The Push Back Policy provides snowplow crews the opportunity to push the snow back to the curb by instituting the alternate side parking plan. This means that cars should be parked on the even side of the street tomorrow (Wednesday), which will allow crews to push back to the curb on the odd side of the street.
On Thursday (an odd numbered day), cars should be parked on the odd side of the street so that crews can push back on the even side of the street.
“This should give us enough time to get everything pushed back before the next event on Friday and extreme low temperatures this weekend into next week,” Stineman said.
The company contracted for snow removal operations in Downtown Muscatine was clearing city parking lots Tuesday and will post the downtown area for no parking later today. The company will begin snow removal operations from downtown streets and sidewalks at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Any cars parked in the way downtown will be ticketed and/or towed Wednesday night through Thursday morning.
Muscatine is under a Winter Storm Warning and is expected to receive seven to 12 inches of snow starting Monday night.
The Transit Division (MuscaBus) switched to Snow Routes starting Tuesday. (Weekday and Saturday maps).
Visit Snow & Ice Control on the City of Muscatine website for more information.