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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowCity-County councilors unanimously approved Indianapolis’ new snow removal policy Monday night, formalizing some changes that had already been implemented in the wake of a messy January snowstorm.
Proposal 69 requires the Department of Public Works deploy snowplows to second-priority streets after 2 inches of snowfall and third-priority streets after 4 inches. The updated policy defines second-priority streets as connector streets—dense residential roads connecting major thoroughfares—and those bordering some preschool programs, township trustee offices, small claims courts and others.
Under the new policy, after first- and second-priority streets are addressed, all remaining local streets will be plowed. The new policy also empowers the DPW director to deploy snowplows at any level of accumulation, based on road conditions.
“This is a big win for the city and its citizens,” Councilor Joshua Bain said before Monday’s vote.
The new policy formalizes some measures that were abruptly announced by city officials in February in response to widespread criticism—and to get ahead of any additional snowfall.
A Jan. 5-6 snowstorm dumped more than 8 inches of snow on the Indianapolis metropolitan area, and additional snowfall that week brought the total to more than a foot. Under the city’s previous rule, adopted in 2020, main thoroughfares and second-priority streets were plowed when accumulation hit 6 inches, and neighborhood streets were largely left untouched. Because of this, many residents navigated snow- and ice-covered city streets for weeks after the snow stopped falling.
Several councilors noted that the measure, sponsored by Jared Evans, Kristin Jones and Dan Boots, required quite a bit of back-and-forth with DPW and other stakeholders.
“I know sometimes these things take a lot of time and it seems like a lot of red tape,” Jones said, “but your councilors hear you.”
Republican Minority Leader Michael-Paul Hart called attention to the collaboration required of councilors, city officials and other stakeholders.
“It was something that we needed to address, but we made sure to do it the right way. We involved the city’s stakeholders, got input (and) really understood all of it from every angle,” Hart said. “This is a great example of what policy development looks like.”
The new policy also adds a network of bike lanes to the Indy Snow Force viewer.
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If this works as well as the pothole and road repair unit the City of Indianapolis created with much fanfare five or so years ago, things will only get worse. It’s hard to get anything done when the trucks are parked at the garage!