Denver unveils snow removal strategy ["notícias frescas"]

By Daniel J. Chac?n, Rocky Mountain News May 23, 2007

The city of Denver plans to have an army of 132 light plows from the private sector on standby during winter months and ready to clear snow from residential streets during major storms.

At the same time, the city's 68 heavy plows, seven motor graders and four loaders will continue to concentrate on major thoroughfares and collector streets.

Public Works Manager Bill Vidal unveiled his proposal for future snow removal at a City Council committee meeting today.

The proposal, which council members endorsed, comes after one of the snowiest winters on record and helps the city avoid another avalanche of criticism.

"When you think about what happened for those eight or nine weeks (this winter), the problem stems from those first three days," Vidal said.

"We couldn't get that ice off the streets," he said. "What this would do is give us a chance at preventing that by being able to simultaneously deploy equipment to residential streets."

The city doesn't plan to buy additional equipment or place plows on trash trucks as previously suggested.

chacond@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5099