Cars parked on streets not just a problem for plows

WEST JORDAN, Utah — Just because the snow has tapered off, does not mean plows have stopped working. City plows around the Salt Lake Valley were busy Thursday with post-storm cleanup leftover from the 1′ of snow that fell overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

Utah Department of Transportation plows also hit the road, despite no new incoming snow Thursday morning.

“Even after the storm passes, our crews are out there for a day or two after-the-fact, just making sure that all of the cleanup is taking place,” said John Gleason, public information officer for UDOT.

He said plows are focused on keeping lanes clear and traffic flowing on the roads during the storm. A day later, they come back to sweep off the shoulders and make sure all snow is off the road. Same goes for city plows, but they face an issue that UDOT doesn’t often deal with.

“The issue you run into now, once it has been plowed now you have snowbanks on the side, you park on the street, now you’re blocking the roadway,” said West Jordan Police Deputy Chief Richard Bell.

West Jordan is among many cities in the state with ordinances that prohibit parking on the roads during the winter.
It impedes a plow driver’s ability to properly clear the road, Bell indicated, and impacts fire department and police emergency response.

But it’s not just about the plows or emergency vehicles.

“It inhibits mail delivery,” he explained. “This time of year, a lot of people are utilizing Amazon, FedEx, UPS, all these delivery services.”

Anyone parking on the street can face a warning, fines, or — worst-case scenario — the city impounds the offending car.

So while the snow may not be falling anymore, West Jordan police remind residents that it doesn’t mean they should stop following those winter parking rules.