Public Works Still Recovering From Last Week's Storm - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

Public Works Still Recovering From Last Week's Storm

by Alex Schuman

aschuman@myabc5.com

@alexschuman

Store owners in downtown Des Moines got a welcome sight on Friday.

Des Moines Public Works started clearing snow left behind by snow plows from last week's storm. 

"It matters," said Marsha Steele, owner of Found Things.

Steele's store is in Des Moines' East Village.  People in that part of town struggled for parking and clear spaces to walk.

"Everybody's grateful," she said.  "It lets people come back down during Christmas and New Years because family's are in town and we're a cool neighborhood."

It took Des Moines Public Works longer to get to this phase of clean-up because the cold and amount of snow, meant they had to spend more time on the streets, according to Chuck Burrell, Des Moines public works spokesman.

"It ensures safety," Burrell said.  "We don't have to worry about people trying to put money in parking meters, and slipping and falling over snow ridges."

The city uses a special auger to pick-up the show and brings in regular equipment to remove whatever it misses.

Steele's excited for them finish, but not upset at the speed that the crews started working.

"We've all read some things in the paper about, 'Gosh darn it!  Why were there bumps on the road?'" Steel said.  "There were bumps on the road because the type of snow storm that it was. 

We all go along and now it's like it never happened.  It's all been picked up in the East Village and it's good."

The city will post signs with specific times to warn people downtown 24 hours before they plan to clear an area.  Crews will work around the clock until the streets are totally cleared.