Winter Preparedness
When colder and inclement weather is on it’s way, it is a good idea to be prepared! Below you will find tips, frequently asked questions and more!
Fall-Winter Preparation
In order to prepare for winter weather, it is important in the fall to help our city with these special tips.
Catch Basins (Storm Drains) are important to keep clear of trash and leaves, “to protect the environment, manage stormwater, and minimize flooding.”
What are Catch basins? Catch basins are storm sewer inlets designed to collect water during storm events; there are 17,000 of them across Grand Rapids. They are designed to filter out debris that would otherwise end up in the river. These basins are generally located next to street curbs, or in yards of residential areas and, while they generally catch large objects of debris, they are prone to becoming blocked with the leaves that invade our yards each fall. This can lead to unnecessary and unwelcomed street flooding which can turn into ice in the winter.
On average, and as part of a 5-year rotation effort, City crews clean 4,000 of the 17,000 catch basins annually. Residents can help in the prevention of street flooding by ensuring that their leaf raking (or blowing) efforts do not result in the blocking of the catch basins in their neighborhoods.
LGROW (Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds) runs a program called Adopt-A-Drain that residents can take part in to help keep our streets clear.
Snow Removal
We live in a neighborhood where most of our children walk to school, some residents walk or catch the city buses to work. Did you see a young child or adult walking in a road instead of the sidewalk? That is probably because the sidewalks are not clear or the crosswalks/corners that plows have covered have not been cleared for them to safely get across.
As business owners, homeowners and renters it is our responsibility to clear those walkways. Why?
People who use wheelchairs and other devices are often unable to travel through snow covered walkways.
Keep our school children safe by making the pathway to school easier for them to navigate. It is often families with young children that have the hardest time as they are our tiny residents and may not be able to easily walk through the snow and ice covered sidewalks and crosswalks.
Piles of snow often cause tripping hazards that are difficult to navigate for everyone. This can result in broken bones, fractures, sprains and scrapes/bruising.
You can also help keep bus stops cleared, too. You can be a good neighbor; if you are near a bus stop, you can help keep it clear of snow and debris.
Please keep curb ramps and walkways clear of snow.
Safe Shoveling Tips
Dress for the weather and wear several layers of clothing.
Push the snow rather than lifting it.
Do not work to the point of exhaustion.
Lift with your legs and not your back.
Drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks.
Check on your neighbors to see if they need help.
Don’t pick up too much snow at once; use a small shovel or fill up a large shovel no more than half way.
Be safe when clearing snow!
The City of Grand Rapids’ primary goal is to remove snow from the streets during the winter. There is frustration when plows push snow into driveways, sidewalks, fire hydrants and mailboxes. Here’s how you can avoid frustration and help:
If you have a driveway, park on it and leave the road clear for plowing
If on-street parking is your only option, change where you park throughout the week following even/odd parking.
Follow all parking restrictions – map is at grandrapidsmi.gov/oddeven
Don’t shovel or blow snow into the street – shovel it into your yard – to avoid a ticket and having it pushed back into your driveway by traveling vehicles
Never bury a fire hydrant with shoveled snow and try to keep the hydrant accessible in case of an emergency
This picture was sent to the West Grand Neighborhood Organization's Facebook page by a GRFD firefighter with a message:
“Please shovel your street’s fire hydrant out. Our fire trucks have about two minutes worth of water aboard. We need quick access to a hydrant to stop a fire. You never now when your house might need it.”
Fire Hydrants
If your home or business is near a fire hydrant, for the safety of your property and your neighbors, please clear snow away from the hydrant!
On the Grand Rapids Fire Department Facebook page, they advised that to help to keep them clear and visible people should clear a 3-foot area around a hydrant in your area, every second counts in a house fire!
Even/Odd Parking
This is especially the case when residents or visitors do not observe the even/odd parking rules or there is an abandoned vehicle that the plows cannot get the roads cleared because they are in the way. The situation gets more dangerous for both pedestrians, homeowners and drivers when the snow keeps piling up, roads get narrower and sidewalk clearing is ignored.
We cannot stress this enough!
This photo was taken by resident Luci Anderson of Fire Trucks that were unable to respond quickly to a business fire (Sam's Party Store) on 2/27/2014 due to cars being parked on both sides of the street.
Rental properties with more than one household in it makes for needed parking on the street due to multiple vehicles. Even single family properties have multiple vehicles and maybe a small driveway. It is understandable when you have a car and need to park at home, however there is a good reason for Even/Odd parking rules. Safety.
In the winter travel gets more and more difficult for emergency vehicles and residents trying to get to and from work, especially during winters like the one we are currently in where there is a larger amount of snowfall.
A perfect example of when Even/Odd Parking rules were ignored is the photo to the right. This is a safety hazard for homeowners and business owners alike as the Emergency Vehicles trying to respond cannot pass to get to the emergency, people could possibly not get help in a timely manner and in the case of a fire, it could spread to other buildings if not contained quickly. In a worst case scenario, a person or persons could be hurt or killed because of it. There have been multiple instances in the news where this was the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. In the City of Grand Rapids blowing or raking leaves into the street is not allowed and can result in a fine.
The reason:
The City of Grand Rapids does not have a program to pick up leaves in the fall from the streets. Street Sweepers are not meant to take the volume of leaves if they are raked into the road.
The leaves can create hazards for cars and motorcycles traveling in our neighborhood and can create a situation where a slide off can happen.
The leaves also can block Catch Basins (Storm Drains) and create flooding that can turn into ice in the winter.
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There are many options for leaf removal in the city of Grand Rapids including Yard Waste Carts, Yard Waste Paper Bags, Yard Waste Bulk Tags and lastly a free resident yard waste drop off site.
It is located at 2001 Butterworth St SW. This is offered to Grand Rapids residents only, so bring your ID for proof of residence. Residents may drop off up to 4 cubic yards each week, at no out of pocket cost. Yard waste must be loose or in a paper bag. Plastic bags are not allowed. People with hydraulic dump-trailers will be required to manually empty the trailer for safety reasons.
For more information see Link: Yard Waste Services
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Wait 24 hours after it snows
The City Ordinance gives citizens 24 hours to clear their sidewalks after a snow event ends. The City can't issue a citation if it's still snowing. If it's been less than 24 hours, the resident still has time to clear the sidewalk.
Step 2. Talk to your neighbors
There are many reasons your neighbors may need help clearing their sidewalks. Communicating and working together is the best way to keep the sidewalks clear all season.
If it has been 24 hours since the snow event ended you can report through: https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Services/Report-a-Snow-or-Ice-Covered-Sidewalk
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The City of Grand Rapids will mail written notice to the property owner. The property owner has 48 hours to clear the sidewalk after they receive the notice.
After the 48 hours has passed a city inspector will visit the property. If the sidewalk still isn't clear, the City of Grand Rapids hires a contractor to clear the sidewalk at the owner’s expense.
Please note: If a sidewalk remains in violation of the City Ordinance your sidewalk will be plowed by a contractor, and you will be responsible for the charges associated with clearing the sidewalk. An administrative fee of $95, plus $25 per quarter hour labor for snow and ice abatement will charged to the property owner.
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The City of Grand Rapids' primary goal is to clear all roads of snow within 24-36 hours of a weather event
They’re constantly improving their winter operations, so they can deliver the highest level of service to our community. Their plow operators use de-icing materials on major streets to minimize snow and ice. Pretreating material may be applied to bridges, hills and curves before a snow event, if needed. They work hard to minimize their salt use as part of their commitment to environmental sustainability as it reduces runoff in our rivers and streams. This is also part of their commitment to be a good steward of funds. Plus, many of their plow trucks have side wings that plow an additional half lane of snow.
When they do have to use salt, their plow trucks have liquid storage capabilities. This allows for the pre-wetting of salt as plows spread it on street surfaces. Pre-wetting salt reduces the bounce to keep it on the road. It also helps us reduce the amount of salt we use by 30 percent – another money saver. Plus, salt activates faster when treated.They prioritize plowing on first-attention routes
The major high-traffic streets in our city are first-attention streets for snow plowing. These streets carry the most traffic and have the highest speed limits. They apply salt to all first-attention streets to make travel safe. Examples of first attention streets include:
Burton Street
Division Avenue
Fulton Street
Leonard Street
Monroe Avenue
They plow secondary (local) streets and alleys when more than 3 inches of snow falls
They monitor weather conditions and clear secondary streets and alleys when there are more than 3 inches of snow. These streets are often less traveled and have lower speeds. De-icing salt typically is not applied to secondary streets. They may salt these streets if there are hills, severe curves or special circumstances in the city. This protects our local watershed and keeps winter maintenance costs manageable. Examples of secondary streets include:
Side streets like Merrifield St
Cul-de-sacs
Alleys
Extended snow events may require snow plow crews to leave secondary streets and return to first-attention roads to ensure safety on high-traffic streets. While they make every effort to clear bike lanes their main priority is to keep the automobile travel lanes clear of snow and ice.
To get more information go to: https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Snow-Plowing
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For More Winter Preparedness Tips Go To: https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Directory/Guides/Winter-Preparedness-Guide
Are you a low income resident over 60 years old? Disabled? Contact us as there may be programs available to you for snow removal.