Cincinnati Leaders Detail Breakdowns, Challenges During January Snow Removal

Cincinnati leaders detail breakdowns, challenges during January snow removal

The city of Cincinnati is sharing more details about the challenges and lessons learned following last month’s winter weather events that brought more than a foot of snow to parts of Southwest Ohio. The first significant nationwide winter weather event of the 2024-2025 season brought inches of snow, sleet and ice across the Great Plains through the Midwest. The storm blasted through the Greater Cincinnati region over 36 hours, blanketing roads with snow and leaving behind widespread travel impacts.That major winter weather event was followed by additional inches of snow and freezing temperatures, further complicating the city’s response, according to Mollie Lair, a spokesperson for the Cincinnati City Manager’s Office. Crews in the Queen City worked 12-hour shifts for nearly a week to ensure safe conditions for the city’s more than 300,000 residents. Areas of the city received 10 inches of rapid snow accumulation and then several more inches days later, mixed with below-freezing temperatures.Still, the messages about snow-covered residential streets and concerns flooded the city’s non-emergency customer service line, 311, along with the offices of city administrators and elected officials. In January, officials from the Department of Public Services reported on the Jan. 5 storm to Cincinnati’s Climate, Environment & Infrastructure Committee, but lawmakers said they were left with more questions than answers.”At a system level, there was a breakdown,” Cincinnati councilwoman Anna Albi said on Jan. 28. “This did not work as it should have.”The committee approved a motion proposed by Councilmember Seth Walsh asking the city administration to provide a report and presentation to the city council evaluating the snow removal plan. Specifically, city leaders asked to look at the policies in place for prioritizing residential streets, especially those around schools and hospitals.”Today was the opening,” Walsh said. “There were so many questions left unanswered and now we have to get those answers, and we have to keep drilling in until they become acceptable.”The city of Cincinnati Traffic and Roads Operations Division (TROD) is responsible for more than 3,100 lanes miles including bridges, overpasses, side streets, cul-de-sacs, alleys and thoroughfares. Cincinnati maintains 80 plow-equipped vehicles to tackle Winter weather conditions. Cincinnati maintains more lane miles than Hamilton County, Madeira, Green Township, Colerain Township, West Chester, Anderson Township, Springfield Township, Blue Ash and Norwood combined.Equipment was tapped from all departments, including Recreation, Parks, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the Metropolitan Sewer District, to assist with snow removal, according to the city of Cincinnati. Those vehicles were in constant use during the multi-day event, leading to breakdowns and damages of 20 vehicles, though this type of wear and tear is common during large-scale winter weather events, Lair said.”The larger jobs included four steering boxes, three rear differentials, and four radiator failures,” Lair said. “All of these issues were resolved and are not out of the norm in the Fleet maintenance space after a snow event like we received.”By Jan. 10, city workers plowed more than 47,000 lanes miles, the equivalent of driving every lane in the city 15 times. Crews also poured tons of rock salt and calcium chloride on the roads throughout the event. Cincinnati’s Department of Public Safety does not have designated Winter Operations Staff, instead they are pulled from various divisions and volunteers from department throughout the city.”I think it’s also important to recognize that the snow that we just encountered a few weeks ago was really a, you know, a 10-year kind of situation,” said Cincinnati councilwoman Meeka Owens, who also chairs the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee.City administrators said there is room for improvement through city messaging regarding on-street parking during removal events, the amount of equipment available, technology and a need for innovations to better approach geographical hurdles. The city already began implementing some of these after-action items including streamlined communications among departments in the winter event during the second week of February.The city of Cincinnati has a comprehensive Snow and Ice Control Plan that lays out the city’s response to winter weather events. Ahead of winter, crews make sure materials like salt are stocked, review policies and undergo classroom training, and collaborate with various city departments and partner agencies like Cincinnati Public Schools and METRO. The city also deploys several methods to clear snow from roads in an efficient and timely manner. Those efforts include anti-icing, de-icing, plowing and when that is not possible, even hauling snow to make roads accessible. Residents can even track winter operations in real-time through the CincyInsights Snow Plow Tracker. The online tool shows where snow vehicles have been, the streets it has driven, and the distance covered during the snow event.”I’m hoping to get an understanding around staffing, maintenance. I’m hoping to get an understanding on the technology that we used to be able to track our progress in real-time,” Owens said.The Department of Public Services is expected to compile a full report and presentation to the city council. The Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee did not issue a timeline on the report but said they would like to learn more within 30 days.

CINCINNATI —

The first significant nationwide winter weather event of the 2024-2025 season brought inches of snow, sleet and ice across the Great Plains through the Midwest. The storm blasted through the Greater Cincinnati region over 36 hours, blanketing roads with snow and leaving behind widespread travel impacts.

That major winter weather event was followed by additional inches of snow and freezing temperatures, further complicating the city’s response, according to Mollie Lair, a spokesperson for the Cincinnati City Manager’s Office. Crews in the Queen City worked 12-hour shifts for nearly a week to ensure safe conditions for the city’s more than 300,000 residents. Areas of the city received 10 inches of rapid snow accumulation and then several more inches days later, mixed with below-freezing temperatures.

Still, the messages about snow-covered residential streets and concerns flooded the city’s non-emergency customer service line, 311, along with the offices of city administrators and elected officials. In January, officials from the Department of Public Services reported on the Jan. 5 storm to Cincinnati’s Climate, Environment & Infrastructure Committee, but lawmakers said they were left with more questions than answers.

“At a system level, there was a breakdown,” Cincinnati councilwoman Anna Albi said on Jan. 28. “This did not work as it should have.”

The committee approved a motion proposed by Councilmember Seth Walsh asking the city administration to provide a report and presentation to the city council evaluating the snow removal plan. Specifically, city leaders asked to look at the policies in place for prioritizing residential streets, especially those around schools and hospitals.

“Today was the opening,” Walsh said. “There were so many questions left unanswered and now we have to get those answers, and we have to keep drilling in until they become acceptable.”

The city of Cincinnati Traffic and Roads Operations Division (TROD) is responsible for more than 3,100 lanes miles including bridges, overpasses, side streets, cul-de-sacs, alleys and thoroughfares. Cincinnati maintains 80 plow-equipped vehicles to tackle Winter weather conditions. Cincinnati maintains more lane miles than Hamilton County, Madeira, Green Township, Colerain Township, West Chester, Anderson Township, Springfield Township, Blue Ash and Norwood combined.

Equipment was tapped from all departments, including Recreation, Parks, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the Metropolitan Sewer District, to assist with snow removal, according to the city of Cincinnati. Those vehicles were in constant use during the multi-day event, leading to breakdowns and damages of 20 vehicles, though this type of wear and tear is common during large-scale winter weather events, Lair said.

“The larger jobs included four steering boxes, three rear differentials, and four radiator failures,” Lair said. “All of these issues were resolved and are not out of the norm in the Fleet maintenance space after a snow event like we received.”

By Jan. 10, city workers plowed more than 47,000 lanes miles, the equivalent of driving every lane in the city 15 times. Crews also poured tons of rock salt and calcium chloride on the roads throughout the event. Cincinnati’s Department of Public Safety does not have designated Winter Operations Staff, instead they are pulled from various divisions and volunteers from department throughout the city.

“I think it’s also important to recognize that the snow that we just encountered a few weeks ago was really a, you know, a 10-year kind of situation,” said Cincinnati councilwoman Meeka Owens, who also chairs the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee.

City administrators said there is room for improvement through city messaging regarding on-street parking during removal events, the amount of equipment available, technology and a need for innovations to better approach geographical hurdles. The city already began implementing some of these after-action items including streamlined communications among departments in the winter event during the second week of February.

The city of Cincinnati has a comprehensive Snow and Ice Control Plan that lays out the city’s response to winter weather events. Ahead of winter, crews make sure materials like salt are stocked, review policies and undergo classroom training, and collaborate with various city departments and partner agencies like Cincinnati Public Schools and METRO.
The city also deploys several methods to clear snow from roads in an efficient and timely manner. Those efforts include anti-icing, de-icing, plowing and when that is not possible, even hauling snow to make roads accessible. Residents can even track winter operations in real-time through the CincyInsights Snow Plow Tracker. The online tool shows where snow vehicles have been, the streets it has driven, and the distance covered during the snow event.

“I’m hoping to get an understanding around staffing, maintenance. I’m hoping to get an understanding on the technology that we used to be able to track our progress in real-time,” Owens said.

The Department of Public Services is expected to compile a full report and presentation to the city council. The Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee did not issue a timeline on the report but said they would like to learn more within 30 days.

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