Clearing the city's streets will be a 24/7 effort, the public works director says. Other communities declare emergencies, limit parking.
The city of Easton administration is meeting at 10 this morning to work out the details of a snow emergency declaration and how to assist homeless people as the temperatures dip below zero overnight Friday into Saturday, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. says.
The emergency hours will be 5 this afternoon until 5 Friday afternoon, city Public Works Director David Hopkins said. Other communities have begun outlining their emergencies, as well.
A winter storm warning goes into effect 1 this afternoon and six to 10 inches of snow is expected this afternoon through Friday morning across the Lehigh Valley and northwest New Jersey, the National Weather Service says. Many schools are closing early.
No parking will be allowed on snow emergency routes so Easton can plow from curb to curb, Panto said. Those who live along the routes can park for free in the Third Street parking garage as long as they are out by 6 p.m. Friday, the city said in a news release.
That way, when the freeze comes -- and it's going to come -- the snow is cleared before it hardens, he said.
Panto "would love" to plow every road in the city in such a fashion, but there is no place to move the vehicles, he said.
The city is required by law to clear the state roads within its borders, Panto said, something that's not required of townships. It's a "very old law" that's been on the books since the townships were very rural, he said.
The city has been taking back state roads -- because "we maintain them and they don't" -- including Larry Holmes Drive and Centre Square, and would like to bring Cattell and Lafayette streets into its fold, although that's been more of a struggle, he said.
The city gets a share of the state liquid fuels tax to pay for the plowing of state roads, Panto and Hopkins said. With January the start of a new budget year, the municipal overtime budget should not be an issue, Hopkins said.
Prioritizing plowing
The city will prioritize its plowing effort, starting with snow-emergency routes, Hopkins said. Then crews will do secondary streets, followed by alleys and then city-owned parking lots and sidewalks, he said.
When you shovel, throw the snow away from the street, not into it, Panto said. Shoveling into the street create creates random hazards and "it's against the law," Panto said.
"Either find a place off the sidewalk -- whatever space they have -- or stack it between the curb and sidewalk," Hopkins said, adding a lot of the work city crews do is plowing snow that is thrown into the street.
City maintenance workers reported at the the normal hour this morning and are going over equipment to make sure all is ready for the snowstorm, Panto said.
They are also checking streets to make sure there are no obstructions and storm drains are open, he said.
Hopkins said planning for winter began in September. With good equipment and outstanding maintenance, the city's winter fleet is in great shape, Hopkins said.
The effort to battle the snow begins before snow falls, he said.
"We're trying to get a good amount of brine down," Hopkins said. "It's an anti-icing agent. At least on the hills, we're trying to prevent as much icing as possible."
24/7 effort during, after storm
The effort will be 24/7 during the storm and its cleanup, Hopkins said. Crews from other city departments will fill in during the night hours, he said.
The city has plenty of salt on hand, having received a 500-ton shipment in recent days, Panto said. The city loaned 100 tons to Palmer Township for the last storm and that too has been returned, he said.
The city will mix salt and anti-skid sand as the storm goes on so as the efficiency of the salt drops with the temperature, there will be something left for traction, Hopkins and Panto said.
The toughest form of transportation over the next few days could be on foot, he said.
"It's probably more dangerous to walk," Hopkins said. "I'm thinking everything is going to be frozen."
The city administration this morning will discuss how to aid the homeless as deadly temperatures set in, Panto said. St. John's Lutheran Church usually becomes a daytime shelter. but there are seldom openings for overnight stays at the Safe Harbor shelter, Panto said.
Snow emergency routes
Easton Snow Emergency Routes 2014