The document summarizes snow removal operations following two major snow storms that dropped over 26 inches of snow in Evanston, Illinois over one week in January 2014. It details storm characteristics, snowfall totals, costs incurred, budget implications, lessons learned, emergency tree and pothole repairs, and communications efforts including high call volumes to the 311 center. Residential streets proved challenging to clear due to parking issues and limited equipment. Communications and partnerships were strengths but could be further improved to address parking and snow removal priorities during major storms.

1. Public Works
Snow Removal Operations Report
January 13, 2014

2. STORM CHARACTERISTICS
• Storm 1 occurred on Dec.31st to January 2nd
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14 inches of snow with minor drifting
Duration of snow event 49 hours
Snow Emergency January 2nd and 3rd
Snow Route Parking Ban January 2nd and 3rd
• Storm 2 occurred on January 4th and 5th
– 12.5 inches of snow with major drifting followed by sub-zero
temperatures
– Duration of snow event 20 hours
– Voluntary compliance requested for residential and primary routes,
posting for snow clearance areas
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3. STORM CHARACTERISTICS
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Storm 1 and 2 combined snow total of 26.5 inches
in a one week period
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Snow total represents the second snowiest week
when compared to the NWS record for Chicago
O'Hare
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6.5 inches more than the 2011 Blizzard
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3 inches more than the average annual snowfall
for Evanston.
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4. RECENT SNOW FALL
TOTALS
Average snow fall for Evanston is 23.5 and for Chicago O'Hare is 36.7
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5. SNOW/ICE EVENTS
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6. COSTS
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7. BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
Account
2014 Budgeted
Amount
Jan. Storms
1 and 2
Spent to Date
Remaining
Balance
Snow Overtime
$275,000
$232,418
$277,686
2,686.00
Materials
$350,000
$85,011
$148,454
201,546.00
$60,000
$33,780
$33,780
26,220.00
Equipment Rental
$42,500
$42,500
42,500.00
Misc Cost*
$17,552
$17,552
17,552.00
$411,261
$519,972
165,028.00
Towing
Total
$685,000
Miscellaneous cost include overtime for tree removals and pothole repairs
requires as the result of frigid temperatures
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8. Border City Snow Removal
Operation Parameters
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Not Quite Like Wilmette
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Abundance of off street parking
On-street residential parking prohibitions overnight
Expectations: all streets clear to the curb
Limited equipment and personnel resources
Not Quite Like Chicago
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Limited off street parking
Mandatory parking prohibition main routes 2” of snow
Unlimited salt and equipment resources
Expectations: travel lanes clear to curb, residential
streets cleared down the middle
Abundant equipment and material resources
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9. Evanston Snow Removal
Operations Parameter
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Uniquely Evanston
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Insufficient on-street parking
Limited off-street parking
Parking prohibition main routes 2” overnight if
declared
Parking prohibition on residential routes 4” if declared
Limited equipment and personnel resources
Expectations: travel lanes clear to curb, residential
streets cleared to curb
Business district sidewalks cleared
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10. LESSONS LEARNED REVISITED
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Communications – This was a major part of our success for this event. The City
could not hope to clear this level of snow within normal time frames and therefore
communications is even more critical than normal. The lesson learned is that we
did put a priority on communications, but we can still improve our efforts to
communicate changes in procedures necessitated by changing events.
Parking flexibility
Usage of parking decks to get cars off the street
Relaxed parking meter enforcement
Using school lots
Modification of even/odd parking/tow procedures for blizzard level
Consider a three tiered approach
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Normal snow fall
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Over 4 inches
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Over 12 inches
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11. LESSONS LEARNED REVISITED
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Partnerships
With Northwestern, School Districts, area businesses, and property owners
Within departments – Parks Recreation and Community Services, Water/Sewer, Parking,
Community and Economic Development and Police all worked well together.
Utilization of vendors for snow hauling from the business districts and for snow
shoveling on sidewalks throughout the City.
Priorities and Consistency
Residential side street plowing
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Smaller equipment resources were not sufficient
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Extended time period for parking ban needs to be communicated more clearly.
Quicker response on re-tasking staff
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Assess plowing/removal needs (streets, sidewalks, parks, parking lots)
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Re-assign staff to meet needs.
Compare operations to other communities
A few comments noted our operations better than others and vice versa.
Shared resources – Equipment types, techniques, etc.
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12. POTHOLES
• Emergency pothole repairs were completed on
Saturday (1-11) and Sunday (1-12) along
primary routes
• Over 26 tons of cold patch at a cost of $3120.
• Overtime cost for pothole patching is
approximately $2900.
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13. SYCAMORE TREE DAMAGE
• 1-7 received a 311 report of large split tree trunk
• Inspected 303 Sycamore trees
– 60 full-depth radial shakes
– 76 minor/shallow radial shakes
– 167 no visible radial shakes
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14. TREE DAMAGE
COMPARISONS
Very deep
Shallow
Healthy
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15. EMERGENCY TREE
REMOVAL
The structural integrity of sixty (60) trees with very deep radial
shake and trunk damage will have to be removed
We are recommending emergency removal of the 60 trees over
the next four Saturdays at a personnel cost of $3278. This will
limit the impact to the existing backlog.
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16. Communications
• Emails sent daily from Jan 1 -7th to list of
37,800 recipients
• Social media channels used frequently by
residents, many questions and issues responded
to via these channels
• Channel 16 & Radio also updated
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17. 311 Center
Date
Calls Handled
Calls Abandoned Service Requests Live Chat Notes
1/1/2014
46
1
1
2 Holiday - Opened from 1-5pm
1/2/2014
831
44
78
31 Snow Emergency
1/3/2014
777
38
93
24 Snow Emergency
1/4/2014
192
10
37
10
1/5/2014
113
6
24
0 Sunday - Opened from 11-3pm
1/6/2014
784
46
69
24
1/7/2014
787
33
81
26
1/8/2014
625
34
120
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