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oawow (Anonymous) says…

I think they should go out and look at the roads aging, they're not plowed very well.

maverick (Anonymous) says…

The city does a poor job of plowing—into peoples' driveways. Is this what our tax dollars are for? Please, plow into the center and then remove the snow—not into the driveways so people have to struggle with ice. That's why we pay taxes—for snow removal not snow relocation!

getagrip (Anonymous) says…

maverick….are you serious?!?! Let me make sure I understand what you are asking. You want the city to plow all of the snow into the center of the road and then bring in dump trucks and backhoes to remove it? Do the math on the amount of taxpayer dollars to do this. Yes it sucks that they plow snow into our driveways but what else are they to do…….stop at each driveway and backdrag the snow out? Seriously. It comes with the snow….we all have to help out and shovel. And no…..neither I or any of my relatives work for the city or county.

maverick (Anonymous) says…

Look at how other cities do it. That why we pay taxes==for snow removal==not relocation. I guess service is too much to ask for these days. Do a job, do it well, or don't do it at all.

maverick (Anonymous) says…

Okay! You made me do the math! :) First, let's start with taxes. Taxes are collected in part to provide public works projects and to insure the safety of its individual citizens. Let's give you an example. I believe that you would agree the citizens in Aspen, Colorado, are a bit more affluent than their counterparts in our city of Craig. The city tax in Aspen is 2.2 percent compared to that of Craig where we are taxed at the higher rate of 2.25 percent plus a county tax of 1.9 percent for lodging. How does the less taxed City of Aspen remove its snow? As stated in a recent edition of the Summit Daily by Director of the Aspen Street Department:” the snow removal effort involved 20 hired dump trucks, as well as the city's three motor graders, two front-end loaders and two dump trucks This was [moved to] the official snow dump site:” Notice, in this less taxed city, he did not say the dumpsites were peoples driveways—they actually remove the snow! According to Wickepedia, cities have the responsibility to remove snow,” In cities where snow steadily accumulates over the winter it is also necessary to remove the piles of snow that build up on the side of the roads known as windrows. Not removing these windrows cause dangerous situations for citizens.” Further, “The windrows created by the plows in residential areas often block driveways and imprison parked cars. The snow pushed there by any plow is a dense, packed version of “normal” fallen snow. When the temperatures are significantly below freezing this packed snow takes some of the characteristics of solid ice. Its removal is nearly impossible.” It goes on to say that this “plowed in” ice in driveways cannot be removed even with snowblowers. Heavier mechanical means (plows) are required. You know this folks in Craig! There are other towns in Colorado that are more affluent than Craig that are taxed less. Two other examples are the cities of Frisco and Lone Tree and they all remove the snow to rivers and vacant lots. This needs to be a priority in Craig, I believe.

Sources:
https://www.taxview.state.co.us/
http://www.aspenpitkin.com/uploads/20…
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_rem…

xrsareus (Anonymous) says…

Maverick, I suggest you move to Aspen as soon as possible, before the next snow storm. Don't like a little exercise? The time you took to look all that information up you could have shoveled your driveway and maybe helped your neighbor do theirs. I think the City does a fantastic job. So does CDOT and County. We as taxpayer want to much and have forgot how to drive in the winter. I just hope the city and CDOT have decided who's responsibility Yampa and Victory Way is. I hope during the summer they sat down and talked and have a plan because winter comes every year like it or not. Last year downtown was a mess and embarrassment to the city of Craig. Now “Let it Snow!!!!”

maverick (Anonymous) says…

Lived here lots longer than you. Help my neighbor three to four times a day with the ice the city plows into the driveway. Family homesteaded as a matter of fact. Seems to me that you just don't get it. It's not about Aspen, there is an analogy here that I'm confident you can't understand judging from your comment. so I'll just consider the source. To make it simpler for you, the bottom line is we PAY for snow removal—more than a rich community. Oh well, you don't really want to get it so go back to your shack and put your head back in the sand.

lonelyone (Anonymous) says…

I somewhat agree with maverick. When we lived in another part of town we would shovel like crazy to get our drive way cleaned out and the mail box too and then the plow would come along and plow us back in and then the mail would come and leave a nasty gram on the mail box that said they would not deliver if we didn't get the mail box cleaned out! use to make me pretty darn mad.
And what about those who can shovel some but because of health have a very hard time shoveling the stuff the city plowed into their driveway?
And what about Yampa Ave and Victory Way? Why does the city fight with the state to see who is going to clear the snow? Why should those streets be any different then “your” street and you getting chewed out for not cleaning things up? Why do we not write letters of complaint to get them cleared as they are a mess most of the winter!
But I do see the cost of doing all this hurting the budget. I don't think there is a good answer to any of it.

xrsareus (Anonymous) says…

Maverick, I guess I'll have to move to Aspen, My grandmother came to Craig in 1916, grandfather in 1912, my father was born in Craig in 1925, and I was born in Craig. My mothers side came here in 1939. I disagree with you and that's what we get to do in USA. We pay to have our streets cleared not our driveways. Try to imagine how labor and manpower and equipment it would take to clean out everyones driveway and mailbox. The snowplows cannot be in every area of town at the same time. It might just happen that you clean out your drive way before the snowplow go's by. That is winter in Craig. I don't have a solution besides shoveling Do you??? By the way It would be nice to be in the sand about this time of the year drinking rum….! Happy New Year

maverick (Anonymous) says…

Happy New Year to you , too! My point is that cities with a smaller tax burden can plow correctly. I am not saying that the crews here do a poor job—far from it. Many are my relation, however, to plowback into the driveways causes lots of problems for an aging populace who cannot keep up with the amount of solid ice removal that the plows cause often two to three times per day. This is dangerous! The answer is make this a priority, plow a windrow to the center, and remove it to lots toward the river. I certainly imagine the effort as I have done my homework to see what it costs in cities with a smaller tax base . If other communities do it, we should expect the same. Create a snow management plan!

freeman (Anonymous) says…

i dont think i have ever seen the city use a backhoe to remove snow,,,,,,getagrip,,,,i think you mean a front end loader,,,and if they would turn the blade a little straighter when they go by a driveway it should help ..

lonelyone (Anonymous) says…

I think possibly you can call the city and ask them to do just that, Freeman. If your elderly and have a problem cleaning out your driveway after they've been through, I htink you can ask them to do just as you mentioned.