Stow got its first substantial snowfall of the year, and we want to know how commuting is going in your city. Take our poll.
The first few inches of snow accumulation fell on Stow the last two days and we want to know how you think the city's crews are handling clean up. Take our poll and share your photos! For a live traffic feed and the cheapest gas prices in Stow, click here.
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Call to complain that the plows haven't been down your streets? The city will know exactly when the plows came through now because of new GPS units.
Ever wonder when or if at all the city's snow plows have been down your street? Well now every path the trucks make will be monitored on a GPS unit. That is ... when the snow actually arrives. (Find out how much money the city has saved from a snowless December here.) The units are connected to a computer program which allows service department personnel to see where plows and salt trucks have been – and where they need to go next. “We used (the GPS program) during our leaf pickup program and it was really helpful to see where we had already picked up. It’s a good tool for us that gives helpful information for snow removal. We intend to put up a monitor at the street department so when drivers come back in to refill on salt, they can look …
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Service Department personnel, vehicles ready to roll once white stuff finally starts falling.
By this time last year, the Stow Service Department had already used 3,000 tons of rock salt at a cost of about $163,000 to keep motorists safe on city roadways. This year, next to no salt has been used – meaning there’s plenty to go around once the snow finally starts falling. A mid-December snowstorm in 2010 dumped about 24 inches of the white stuff on the city. Temperatures that month dropped below 15 degrees several times, requiring street crews to spray 15,000 gallons of salt brine on the city’s 152 miles of roads. This year’s near-snowless season has been a big cost-saver so far, according to Michael Miller, assistant service director. The weather, he said, “is unusual, but we’re certainly happy when we’re not having to spend money …
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10:14 am on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
I love that the city is being creative in cutting spending while still providing services! Thank you! more ›
The Stow Police and Fire Departments had about half the calls than normal because residents were staying home during the storms.
Some nicknamed it “icemaggedon.” The National Weather Service warned that the massive storm front that moved across one-third of the U.S. earlier this week was one of “historic proportions.” But for Stow residents, the much-hyped ice storm turned out to be more of a two-day inconvenience than a dire weather event. Slippery sidewalks and driveways needed salt. Serious effort was required to clear vehicle windows of ice build-up. Seemingly, the only ones out on the roads were Stow Service Department employees. “As far as accidents, there wasn’t anything abnormal or unusual” about Tuesday and Wednesday, said Lt. Anne Stirm of Stow Police Department. “I think people took [storm warnings] seriously and stayed home. You have to credit people […
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City uses beet juice sparingly and brine to keep the roads safe and reduce use of salt.
The first snow storm of the year cost the city 3,000 tons, or about $163,000 worth, of rock salt last week. About 24 inches of the white stuff accumulated last week and the city had 11 trucks out to clear it away, said Public Service Director Dano Koehler. Although 3,000 tons was used, Koehler said there is still about 5,000 tons of salt stocked up with another 1,000 tons ordered and on its way to Stow from Cargill, a Cleveland-based company. To extend the city's supply, Stow makes its own brine for about .14 cents a gallon, said Street Superintendent Charles Riedel. Cargill does not provide a non-bid price for rock salt. So to ensure the lowest cost for an expensive necessity, the city is a part of the Community University and Education …
Mindy Davis
4:30 pm on Tuesday, January 3, 2012
I left my home in Stow at about 8am to take my friend in West Akron for her first radiation treatment.....Baird Rd was, and still is a mess. In fact, one of the garbage trucks went into the ditch on the rt 59 end. Speaking of RT 59, that was also a mess this morning-but as soon as I got to Silver Lake, the roads and Rt 8 were beautifully clear all the way to my destination. Seriously, MANY school… more ›