snow removal

Snow gate test used inferior product

l3wis June 27, 2011 5Comments

You can watch the presentation here. You can view the PDF document: snow-gates (sorry if it is low resolution, they are not making it available on the city website yet, not sure why, so I created this from screenshots). UPDATE: 7/5/11: CLEAR DOCUMENT. Where’s the transparency Mike?

I will share some highlights of the test, and will say that Galynn Huber and Mayor Huether spoke very positive for the most part about them, so did several city councilors, that was refreshing.

Quick notes:

• Using snow gates vs. traditional plowing will cost an extra 33%. Which is ironic when you think about all the double-digit water increases, this is actually a pretty good value 🙂

• It will cost the city a half-million every 5 years to install

• It narrows the streets more (normal narrowing is 2.5 feet compared to 7 feet with snow gates)

• They tested IRONEX’s product vs. HENKE. Both the best in the biz, except, HENKE are better because they lift upright instead of winging out. Upright is more effective because they don’t take out mailboxes, etc. HENKE are more expensive though. They are recommending we use HENKE next year, and may test them. This detail is a bit fishy, for a couple of reasons. As I understand it (and please correct me if I am wrong) city ordinance requires them to use low bid, Ironex was low bid, BUT, the mayor can override this. I think Munson did it on several occasions. So why didn’t Huether override the Ironex decision . . .

• We had an above average snowfall this year, coupled with using an inferior product, they admitted that the 33% number could go down quite a bit with less snow and better product.

I was glad to see Huber admit that he was surprised by how well they worked. Let’s hope they are here to stay.

To Snowgate or NOT to Snowgate, that is the question.

l3wis May 30, 2011 10Comments

Mayor Huether doesn’t want to ‘Pull the Trigger’ yet.

Citywide use of snowgates is unlikely next winter. Officials are in the process of putting together next year’s budget, and it doesn’t appear that more snowgates will be included. Regardless, Mayor Mike Huether said he wants to test the devices again next winter.

“In business, we would test things multiple times before we would pull the trigger,” he said.

In other words They work really well and we need to test (sabotage) them one more year before killing them;

Snowgate proponent Theresa Stehly said she’s happy the issue’s going to be discussed, but she questions the city’s need to continue studying the issue. Simply put, they’re popular with residents.

“I’ve heard rumors that they’re going to keep them going until they can nail the coffin shut,” she said.

C’mon Big ‘T’ can we be a little more positive like the mayor:

Even so, Huether said he knows there’s popular support for the devices. That’s why it’s important to get an accurate cost-benefit analysis.

“It’s one of those balancing things,” he said. “You’re trying to balance the needs of the city, the wants of the public, and trying to balance that with the other parts of government. And that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

Blah, Blah . . . Blah, Blah, Blah (we need money for an events center) Blah, Blah, Blah.

Citizen from Bozeman comments on snow gates

l3wis February 10, 2011 2Comments

From my comment que;

Bozeman MT has snow gates on every one of their motor graders and always plow with them every time it snows. We wouldn’t have it any other way. it wasn’t the politicians decision, it was the workers in the field.

Yet, our public works director thinks they don’t work well enough (video).

Anti-snowgate letter, lame

l3wis January 31, 2011 15Comments

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone (probably connected to public works in one way or another) wrote an anti-snowgate letter;

I live in one of the snowgate test areas and agree that there is a difference in the amount of snow at the end of my driveway because of them. It’s somewhat better.

That said, I certainly have noticed my street getting narrower as the leftover snow accumulates.

Yah think, McFly? Every street in SF gets narrower during the winter. How long have you lived here? I’m willing to deal with a narrower street so I don’t have to chip concrete blocks out of the end of my driveway. Your argument against snowgates is lame considering you started out your letter by saying they work.