Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The 'big dig out' is underway in neighborhoods across the city of Buffalo as Public Works crews work feverishly to clear snow-clogged neighborhood streets after concentrating on main and secondary streets through the height of another Buffalo snow storm.
"Hallelujah," exclaimed a Normal Street resident to WBEN as we watched a giant front loader move snow from the intersection at York Street and dump the heavy lift of snow into an awaiting dump truck. When one dump truck was full, another pulled-in and the process repeated itself until the street was clear.
This orchestration of a herculean snow removal effort is repeating itself in neighborhoods across the city in the aftermath of a storm during which the spotlight was on city plowing crews after receiving a fair share of criticism during a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday storm.
"The snow plan calls for one pass down all residential streets within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall," said Public Works Commissioner Michael Finn during a Friday afternoon briefing on snow removal efforts. "From late this morning that would be about the time for the clock to start," added Finn in referencing residents' expectations of when they'll see a plow pass down their street.
Illegally parked vehicles remain a major thorn in the city snow clearing plan, blocking plows from making a sweep down dozens of city streets. Finn says about 100 parking summons have been written and 110 vehicles were towed from illegally parked locations to legal spots since the beginning of the storm as of midday Friday.
"It definitely slows things down when they have to work around those illegally parked cars," says Finn. As a result, parking enforcement is going door-to-door in some neighborhoods to let residents know plows are on the way and vehicles need to move. "We're putting in a lot of effort to get this done."
Finn tells WBEN there has been improvement with parking compliance as compared with the January storm after the city worked with the media to spread the word that parking would be enforced and vehicles would be towed. "There's been improvements, but there's work to go."
The good news for city streets crews as the snow clearing effort is underway is that no snow is forecast through the weekend, giving plows a chance to catch up and continue to go deeper into neighborhoods.
