Mayor Jake Day announced that the City of Salisbury is preparing for the arrival of anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow, beginning Thursday evening and continuing through the early afternoon on Thursday. Snowfall is expected to begin by about 9:00 p.m. tonight.
Residents are cautioned to drive safely and to be aware of potential roadway icing. City road crews will monitor conditions, and they will begin salting and plowing operations as warranted. The City has 600 tons of salt on-hand, and nine (9) trucks ready and equipped with plows and salt bodies and four (4) additional trucks with plows. Plowing of residential streets will occur if snow accumulation exceeds FOUR (4) INCHES or more. In such case, the City’s 7 snow emergency routes will be the first streets to be plowed. Motorists are reminded to NOT PARK along snow emergency routes, and private plow contractors are reminded to not push snow into public roads. Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine. Maps of the City’s snow emergency routes can be found online at www.salisbury.md , or http://bit.ly/2BhxRj0 .
If you have to be on the roads during the upcoming snow event, it is important to realize that the most slippery surfaces often do not appear as hazardous as they actually are. Bridges, overpasses and intersections are common areas where the pavement freezes faster than on ordinary roadways. Motorists are urged to slow down and allow extra distance for braking.
With such low temperatures, some citizens may use space heaters to keep their living areas warm. It is essential to maintain a three foot (3’) radius around any device which radiates heat. A heat source too close to combustibles is the leading factor contributing to the start of a winter home fire, so keep all combustible materials well away from these devices. If you plan to use your fireplace, make sure that you have a metal or tempered glass screen to keep the sparks from spreading. Residents are also reminded to NEVER use their range top or oven to heat their homes for any reason.
Additionally, citizens are reminded that City law requires all property owners adjacent to any street within City limits to remove the snow from the sidewalks. The purpose of this ordinance is to provide the ability for our residents to move freely and safely throughout the City. Snow must be removed for the entire length of the property for a width of four (4) feet. The removal must take place within six (6) hours after the snow and or ice has stopped falling. The property owner is liable for any accidents which may occur as a result of un-cleared sidewalks. Please help us keep the City of Salisbury safe during severe weather conditions.
City waste removal operations are scheduled to proceed as normal for both Thursday and Friday mornings. If conditions deteriorate enough to necessitate the halting of trash collection on Thursday morning, those routes will be resumed and complete Friday morning, in addition to Friday’s normal routes.
Emergency contact information for Salisbury Department of Field Operations during business hours from 8:00 to 4:30 is 410-548-3177. For service calls after hours please contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.
