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Roads a challenge as the week begins

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Monday, February 1, 2010

(Updated 3:58 pm)

By Jennifer Fernandez
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — The snow stopped falling Saturday, but the effects will linger into the first part of the week.

Officials warn motorists to be wary of slippery conditions today. Temperatures were expected to dip well below freezing overnight, refreezing slush and melting snow. The weekend storm dumped more than 6 inches of snow on the Triad.

“Even though the sun is shining across much of North Carolina today, the worst of the danger is not over,” Gov. Bev Perdue said in a statement.

She urged motorists to be cautious and to stay off roads as much as possible so road crews could continue cleaning up.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for hazardous conditions because of black ice through noon today.

The lingering bad weather prompted public schools in Guilford and Rockingham counties to close today. And Greensboro’s garbage collection was pushed back. Today’s collection will take place Tuesday and Tuesday’s on Wednesday, city officials said. Thursday and Friday collections remain unchanged.

But the opening of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum is expected to take place as scheduled, with clear roads and sidewalks to greet visitors.

The city spent about $19,000 to bring in extra crews Saturday night to clear streets and sidewalks along South Elm Street and February One Place by the museum, according to city officials.

Road crews focused on main streets over the weekend and expected to switch to secondary roads today. As of noon Sunday, the city had used 1,250 tons of salt at a cost of about $101,250.

Despite the hazardous road conditions, law enforcement reported relatively few accidents over the weekend. About 14,000 customers in North Carolina remained powerless Sunday night, according Duke Energy. Only a handful remained without power in Guilford County.

Piedmont Triad International Airport, which had canceled flights Saturday, reopened Sunday. Most flights were expected to arrive and depart on time, according to evening schedules posted on the airport’s Web site.

The day was anything but routine for a few Greensboro residents.

Chuck Young, 38, was out pushing snow to pick up extra cash Sunday afternoon. He returned to find his home of two weeks had caught fire.

“All my stuff downstairs is OK,” Young said.

No one was injured in the afternoon fire, which damaged two town houses at 3405 Whitehurst Road. The other four town houses in the building were not affected.

Young said he and the other displaced resident would be able to stay in vacant town houses in the complex.

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

Lynn Hey (News & Record)

Photo Caption: The Clean and Green Team Service Group, responsible for all 99 blocks of downtown Greensboro, clear snow Sunday in preparation for the grand opening today of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.

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brokencomb

February 1, 2010 - 9:05 am EST

19 THOUSAND dollars to clear off 1 block?!? Money well spent! Never mind the rest of the city. Who needs to go to work or school, right? Nice job, Greensboro.

krystalburgerkinger

February 1, 2010 - 12:16 pm EST

why isn't there better planning about this type of thing? just because none of the patients in a hospital have history of heart conditions doesn't mean you don't have a cardiologist standing by or within reach for that just incase moment. this city has got to better about cleanup affter this type of weather system. instead of being reactive they should really be proactive. all the doppler predictions and warnings of a metorologist seems to be of no help for this state. you know it's coming, prepare accordingly!! keep the plows out for 24 hours, salt like crazy. i've seen too many accidents and cars in ditches because of the lack of clean up in supposed 1st priority areas. it just makes no sense at all

Newspaper Reader

February 1, 2010 - 1:10 pm EST

Krystalburger,

I posted something very similar late last night on the previous article about the roads. I am re-posting it below. The budget is just not there to handle six inches of snow. Apparently, the city of Greensboro has only so many employees and so many plows.

I also know someone who was stuck in the Midwest for three days because the Greensboro airport was closed. The airport was open for about two hours on Saturday and then they closed again. That keeps our airport out of the international leagues. If this were one of our famous ice storms, it would be understandable. It doesn't make sense for six inches of snow.

Greensboro is getting too big to virtually shut down for days on end. We need to address this when we look at our budget next.

Reposted Article:

I was surprised tonight by the stretch of Pisgah Church Road between Church and Battleground. I was traveling west at 6:45 p.m. tonight (Sunday, Jan. 31) and Pisgah Church Road was completely covered in packed-down snow--it looked very similar to the roads in my neighborhood. Within a span of five minutes, I passed two accidents. One was a fender bender with a police car on the scene and the other accident appeared more serious--there was significant damage to a car and an ambulance was pulling up to the scene.

Coming back east on Pisgah Church Road at 10:00 p.m. the road had been obviously salted since the accidents because the temperature was twenty-seven degrees and the snowpack on the road was melting quickly. The road looked like a completely different road.

Pisgah Church Road is a "first priority" road. Why is a "first priority" road taking this long to salt and clear? Battleground Road, another "first priority" road, was completely clear. I pay attention to the snow removal maps and try to stick with "first priority" roads after a storm. Pisgah Church Road did not look like a "first priority" road tonight. I know the snow crews work endless hours clearing roads--I am not blaming them. Perhaps the snow removal maps need to be changed to reflect the reality of our budget.

krystalburgerkinger

February 1, 2010 - 2:13 pm EST

i agree wholeheartedly with you. what's really surprising to me is the fact that this has happened at least 3 times over the past 12 months. I know that no one can really predict the weather 12 months down the line, but the farmers almanac seems to be pretty on point about these weather systems. perhaps they should use that as a tool when they're doing they're yearly planning. too bad they can't get some shovels and let some of these homeless or unemployed individuals get to work clearing this mess out. There's so much the city can do, and as stated before they're too reactive instead of proactive. They don't plan for the "what ifs" and they just roll along as if the situation cant be helped. I'm really surprised by the school closings or delays when there's just a light dusting. Things just seem to work a bit backwards to me. I really like to see cars traveling with snow/ice packed roofs and rear windows...up north that's an automatic "timeout" given by the police if you dont clear it. It's a hazard to other cars on the road, and it's just not smart.

Newspaper Reader

February 1, 2010 - 6:21 pm EST

Krystalburger,

I truly don't think that particular department has the funds or the manpower to do the job they need to do. That involves making choices ahead of time about where we choose to spend our money.

I am curious why GCS does not use tire chains on its buses.

Newspaper Reader

February 1, 2010 - 6:12 pm EST

Mea culpa. He ended up in the Midwest for two extra days all together.

Herdsman

February 1, 2010 - 11:52 am EST

My goodness. I attended Guilford College years ago so am still interested in Greensboro happenings. Did you have a snowstorm? The paper said you did. Six and a half inches? Wow…here in Attica, New York that would be just an inconvenience. When we have snow, the snow plow (much larger than the one pictured) passes our farm at on schedule at 5:20 AM then comes back in about twenty-five minutes. No, though noisy, he does not wake up as I am in the barn milking the cows; most of New York State is far from Manhattan!

(Rob – )

maddox69

February 1, 2010 - 12:12 pm EST

I'm really happy to see that extra money and manpower was given to clear one block of downtown for something that has already sucked up way too much extra money and manpower to build in the first place. I would hate for my tax dollars to actually be used to remove the snow from my own street or the main thoroughfare street through my neighborhood. Once again Greensboro, thanks for wasting our money.

JimDandy

February 1, 2010 - 3:29 pm EST

Well Greensboro atleast you got one block cleared , Look at High point. I feel everyone the works for the city of High Point that makes any desitions on snow removal should be FIRED on the spot. I also feel anyone that was in a wreck because of the lack of clearing High Points roads should sue the city for neglecting their safety.I was on Windover Sat. afternoon and was passed by TWO City snow trucks and NEITHER was scrapping the road or PUTTING DOWN SALT , Why were they out ? I also had a third one go by on Penny road heading to Eastchester and it too was not scrapping or putting down salt.
I would like to know why these three trucks were out on High Point roads getting paid I"m sure but doing nothing ? I would also like to know how the city of High point thinks kids will be able to go back to school with not just THE MAIN roads in the shape they are but also SIDE ROADS like in NotingHam and other areas that have not bothered to have their roads scraped and still has nothing but inchs of ICE on most of the roads ? The bus drivers will be bouncing off the curbs , cars and everything else .I just pray that there was no deaths due to the reasons the City of High Point leaders decided that they needed to save money or what ever reasons they let us down. I mean its not like we pay hundreds of dollors every year in car tags to upkeep our roads and make them safe , wait , we due .