The work to clear Covington streets of snow and ice and make them safe for driving is an all-hands-on-deck effort involving three dozen or so members of Public Works’ “Snow & Ice Team” (drawn from its many different divisions) and – in some cases – crews from the state, Kenton County, and surrounding jurisdictions.
Public Works divides the city’s 270 lane miles of roads and streets into 15 routes, where drivers use salt or brine and/or plows attached to a fleet of big Freightliner and Kenworth T350 dump trucks, smaller Ford F550 dump trucks, and Ford F350 pickup trucks with V-boxes.
Streets are further classified by priority:
- High Priority streets (colored “red” in the map below) are typically major arterial and collector streets, or those abutting schools or hospitals. These streets are addressed first.
- Medium Priority streets (colored “orange” in the map below) are minor collector streets, typically serving a single subdivision, or cul-de-sac streets. These are addressed next.
- Low Priority streets (colored “yellow” in the map below) are stop sign approaches, alleys, and some parking lots, and are plowed within 24 hours from the end of a storm.
Snow “emergencies”
If Covington’s mayor declares a formal “Snow Emergency,” drives are urged to get their vehicles off the streets if they can, especially on heavily traveled thoroughfares, or risk being “plowed in.” If a car is left in a particularly hazardous area, like a steep hill or a busy intersection, police will ask the owner to move it. If the owner can’t be found and the car is interfering with plow trucks, the car will be towed.
How residents can help
- Don’t plow or shovel driveways and sidewalks into the street.
- Park as close to the curb as you can, especially on narrow streets.
- Try not to park at the bottom of a steep hill, or – in a heavy storm where trucks are equipped with plows – close to an intersection on a narrow street.
- Stay clear of plow trucks and don’t tailgate them.
- Report problem areas, but remember that some of the larger roads in Covington are actually state routes maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Neither sleet nor …
For more details about how the Snow & Ice team operates (and photos), see:
View Full Map HERE