12/18/08 City Council Newsletter

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caution. For more information, please contact Glen Potter in Fire at 682-7118 or Melinda Kletzok in Police at 682- 5124. Public Works Maintenance Goes Into Emergency Mode Following three days of around-the-clock emergency operations, the Public Works Department has lifted the ice- snow parking ban in Eugene for now. At 6:00 a.m. on December 18, Eugene Public Works Maintenance shut down its emergency command center and discontinued the prohibition on parking on priority ice-snow routes. At least one plow-and-sander truck remains on duty, responding to problem areas in the higher elevations of the south hills. Meanwhile, crews that had been working on ice and snow removal have been reassigned to leaf collection in southwest Eugene. Public Works opened its Emergency Command Center at the Roosevelt Yard early Monday morning and began around-the-clock operations to plow streets and apply sand and liquid deicers. The estimated cost of the emergency operation through Wednesday, including equipment, material and labor, is $60,000, with the money coming from the road fund that could otherwise be used for street repair. Over the past three days, crews logged more than 2,500 miles during snow operations, and more than 900 cubic yards of sand was put down to provide traction on priority ice-snow routes. The City of Eugene manages ice-snow operations on a priority route basis. Approximately 40 percent of the city’s 540-mile street network is designed as priority one, two or three ice-snow routes. Public Works staff is monitoring weather conditions and will reinstate emergency operations and the parking ban if ice or more than an inch of snow accumulates on city streets. The National Weather Service is predicting abundant moisture and subfreezing low-level temperatures with the possibility of more snow and ice in Eugene by the weekend. Once the current series of storms is over, Maintenance crews will sweep the streets to pick up leftover sand. The department has also provided several notices through the media that property owners are responsible for keeping abutting sidewalks “in good repair and safe condition,” which includes removing accumulations of snow, ice, and wet leaves. The City Code also states that property owners are liable for injury, damage or loss caused if they are negligent in keeping their sidewalks clean. More information about the ice-snow program is available on the City’s web site (go to www.eugene-or.gov/pw and click on the winter storm link) or by calling Public Works Maintenance Director Jeff Lankston at 682-4813. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 December 18, 2008