The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Taking action at three inches instead of six
by Mark Reaman
The Crested Butte snowplows will be hitting the streets anytime snow piles up to more than three inches this winter. In the past, that threshold kicked in after December 1 with a six-inch rule in effect before that. But town public works director Rodney Due told the Crested Butte Town Council that people have come to expect the more aggressive plowing plan.
Due presented the annual Snow and Ice Control Operations Plan Monday and he again emphasized that the emergency and bus routes would be kept clean as much as possible “down to oil.” He said he was trying to get Gunnison dispatch to keep an eye on the town snowcam and give a ring to the plowing crew when it goes over the three-inch mark in the wee hours.
“It can be really hard if one of the crew is responsible to wake up every half hour when a storm is expected to check the snowcam,” he explained.
The proverbial snow banks on Elk Avenue controversy wasn’t much of an issue, as Due explained that the snow bank policy calls for them to be removed as quickly as possible, except over the holidays and around special events when the “charm” of the snow banks will be left for visitors to appreciate and photograph.
Parks and recreation director Janna Hansen said her crews hit the sidewalks in town to remove snow after accumulation tops one inch. “That is basically for safety reasons and we have two bobcats that work the town and it generally takes most of a morning,” she said.
Councilman Paul Merck suggested the town investigate using a mobile “snowmelt” system. He said other places pick up the snow, melt it on a truck, and the melted snow goes immediately into the town sewer system. “It works in places that might have warmer days than here for sure,” he said.
“It is better for towns that have storm sewer systems to handle the water,” said Due. “We have primarily curb and gutter.”
“It is getting more efficient, so it might be something to keep an eye on for the future,” said Merck.
“We’ve discussed it, especially as we lose more and more storage lots,” said Due. “The amount of snow we get is a big issue up here. We are a growing town and one answer might be a snowmelt facility in the future. Keep in mind that snowmelt facilities put off a huge carbon footprint.”
Councilman Jim Schmidt said he believed Aspen had tried such a facility and given up on it after a few years because of too many issues.
Due explained that such a system would mean treating the melted snow since oil and contaminants get picked up in the plowing. “You can’t just dump it into the Slate River,” he said. “There’s a lot of work and permitting with such a system but it is always on my radar.”
Councilwoman Laura Mitchell said the town might consider relocating some of the larger snow storage piles near Stepping Stones for safety reasons, where kids are immediately attracted to the giant snow mounds.
Councilperson Chris Ladoulis liked the idea of considering investigating more snow storage lots and snowmelt options in an effort to be less reactive and more proactive as lots disappear for snow storage.
The council voted 7-0 to approve the proposed winter snow plan.
