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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Rise of the Municipal Snowblower


As streets are replaced by mountains of snow, some local municipalities are experimenting with heavy duty snowblowers to remove snow and increase parking. Nazareth is trying one of these $150,000 models, which loads snow into passing trucks. Borough officials plan to return it ... eventually.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

During a snow emergency, don't they usually remove the snow by putting it into trucks instead of leaving it against the sidewalk and into street?

Anonymous said...

1:24
One could only wish.

Bernie O'Hare said...

1:24, After every snowstorm, Nazareth workers will clear the more heavily traveled streets. ... And my estate. The big snow blower is something new. Nazareth can't afford to buy on its own, but might want to team up with another boro like Bath. These boros usually have a lot of small businesses along their Main Streets. If Bath and Naz teamed up, they could probably share one snowblower, combine trucks, and clear their main corridors in two days. One day in each boro.

What slowed the snowblower in Naz was the lack of trucks. I think Naz had three trucks to carry the snow away, but the blower did a lot of waiting for them to return. So part of the arrangement would be sharing trucks.

To me, these kinds of solutions make more sense than "Main Street" managers who are actually funded with taxpayer dollars to do goofy murals and have an office somewhere in the country, nowhere near a boro.

Bill Coker said...

I'm certain all the metered parking is clear. Meanwhile the unmetered residential spots are buried. We must pay for the parking Nazi.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bill, yes, the emphasis should be on more traveled roads and those here people are likely to want to park, i.e. small businesses. Those are almost always metered. Another brilliant move designed to drive people to malls.

Anonymous said...

I just ask cause if you drive down Main Street in Bethlehem, well it's horrible. Any car that parks takes up half of the lane. Cause in previous years I remember waking up at two in morning and seeing city crews with tractors loading snow into trucks and then going to dump in by sand island. Well not this year. They just piled it up on the street

Anonymous said...

Do you have people living in second floor apartments above these buisnesses on your main street? Not easy to be fair about their parking needs as well. If you have any brilliant ideas bring it forth.

Anonymous said...

By the way there are landscapers all over the county willing to be hired to remove snow. Let the boros and county share the tax money with the small companies once in awhile.

Bernie O'Hare said...

1) the idea of hiring local landscapers was discussed during budget hearings last year. The problem is insurance. Most outfits simply can't afford the insurance required by municipal government. I think this is a worthy idea and should get much closer scrutiny.

2) there are numerous apartment dwellers, not all of whom drive. If you think downtown parking needs to be addressed, I'd agree. But I have no answer and was only posting about a cool way to get rid of snow.

Anonymous said...

this idea about sharing with another town won't work. I lent my snow blower to a friend five years ago and I have not seen the machine or friend since

Bernie O'Hare said...

Good point.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the dinasor at the man while trying to operate that antquated piece aperatous? There should be a law about freinds like you?

redd
patent pending

Anonymous said...

Didn't Hanover and Bethlehem Township go in together on either a sewer vacuum truck or street sweeper? Municipalities getting together to buy an expensive piece that doesn't see everyday use seems like a good idea to me.

Hank_Hill

Bernie O'Hare said...

Hank, I'll check that out. I cover both of them and should know, but don't.