Subzero temperatures forecast for this week could throw another wrench into Omaha’s snow removal efforts.
Scott McIntyre, the city’s street maintenance engineer, said Monday that the diesel fuel that powers snow plows can gel up and equipment can freeze and break in the bitter cold.
To help keep the plows up and running, McIntyre has asked all city departments to temporarily give up any unneeded garage space so snow removal trucks can be parked inside. The city’s Public Works Department has garages at its street maintenance facility near 52nd and Dayton Streets, but not enough to store all of the plows.
City officials are also looking at buying heaters to put in garages. Crews have in some cases had to leave trucks running when they’re not in use for fear that they won’t start again.
“Diesel engines and really cold temperatures don’t go together really well,” McIntyre said. “You can’t get the fuel to the engine because it’s not flowing through the system.”
City plow crews have already dealt with cold-related equipment problems over the past month while clearing snow from two major December storms. More than 24 inches of snow fell in the Omaha area last month.
Extreme cold also makes it more difficult to remove snow from streets. Sun, along with warmer weather, loosens snow and makes it easier to push away.
“There’s still a lot of widening out that we need to do,” McIntyre said. “A lot of residential streets would be better if we could get in there and clear them out. We need sunlight, and we need warmth.”
McIntyre said he is especially concerned about weather conditions hampering the city’s efforts at the end of this week, when temperatures are not expected to rise above zero for a couple of days.
Contact the writer:
444-3100, maggie.obrien@owh.com
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