ESCANABA — The City of Escanaba’s Department of Public Works is responsible for plowing, ice control and hauling snow off our streets and alleys. In the city there are approximately 83 miles of paved street, 18 miles of alleyways, eight miles of non-motorized trails, and nine facilities that require snow removal and clearing. Snow plows are sent out when snow or ice accumulation creates slippery road conditions.

During a typical snow storm, the City of Escanaba generally has 10 pieces of snow removal equipment in operation, which is staffed by 10 Public Works employees. Public works also has a mechanic on hand to keep our snow fleet running and assist operators.

In the City of Escanaba, there is a priority ranking system that governs which streets are plowed first. This ranking system is based on the street function, traffic volume, and importance to the welfare of the community. All streets in the City are categorized, which determines their priority for clearing during snow plowing operations. The first priority streets are “Main Thoroughfares,” which are high volume streets that connect major sections of the City and provide access for emergency fire, police, schools, and medical services. All other streets in Escanaba are generally referred to as “Local Thoroughfares” and considered to be second priority. In the City, the following streets are designated as Main Thoroughfares: * Ludington Street *Stephenson Avenue *Washington Avenue *14th Street‚ North/South * 10th Street‚ North/South *Sheridan Road * 3rd Avenue North * Danforth Road *Lake Shore Drive * Willow Creek Road * 5th Avenue‚ North/South *6th Avenue North * North 30th St. *Areas around schools * 1st Avenue North-4th to 10th Street * 14th Avenue South from lake Shore Drive to South Lincoln Road

Once all the streets are plowed, alley snow plowing takes place. Alley plowing is done as part of the regular plowing operations of the City of Escanaba. Depending on the severity of the storm, alley plowing could be delayed significantly as the major and local thoroughfares take priority. Every attempt is made to open all alleys as soon as possible for public use. Staffing and budgetary constraints may delay opening of an alley. Generally, all alleys will be plowed within 48 hours of a snow event, not including weekends. Smaller snow events may not require plowing of alleys. In the event of a medical, fire, or other emergency, residents are asked to contact Public Safety by dialing 9-1-1, which will then alert Public Works for emergency support. Residents can be assured that when snowfall accumulates, the Department of Public Works will do its best to plow all streets as soon as possible in order of priority, but severity of storms can greatly tax equipment and human resources.