Hobbies And Interests
Snowfall Statistics
The city of Anchorage has an average of 70 inches of snow each year, according to World Guides. The National Weather Service reports that the highest annual snowfall was 132.8 inches and the highest daily record was 22 inches. By comparison, the average annual snowfall in Syracuse, N.Y. is 115 inches and the average in Rochester, N.Y. is 93 inches.
Street Maintenance
Maintenance and Operations has more than 100 employees to maintain over 1,200 lane miles of municipal streets and about 200 miles of sidewalks and trails. In the winter months of October through May, maintenance crews are on duty seven days a week, 24 hours a day to provide plowing, deicing and ice prevention.
Chemicals
Maintenance and Operations uses methods that are designed to prevent the buildup of ice and for deicing. Potassium acetate is less corrosive than chloride salts such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. It is mainly used in the central business district. Limited amounts of magnesium chloride are used in the municipality. It is not as toxic to plants near the roadways. Potassium acetate and magnesium chloride are both used to prevent icing and to deice the road surfaces.
Plowing
Following each snowfall, Maintenance and Operations plows the snow within 72 hours. After plowing is complete, they remove and haul the snow to designated areas for storage. The Maintenance and Operations Division provides links to the snow plow plans and to a status map that is only available in the winter. These links allow residents to determine the status of the plowing.
Department of Transportation
The Alaska Department of Transportation is responsible for snow removal on major roadways that are maintained by the state. The Maintenance and Operations Division also provides information on state maintained roads. The Department of Transportation manages the Road Weather Information System (RWIS) which includes pavement and meteorological sensors that help them determine when it is necessary to prepare the roads with anti-icing chemicals, when to plow and when deicing is needed. The system increases efficiency and decreases travelers' exposure to hazardous conditions.
Property Owners
It is the responsibility of individual property owners to have snow removed from their driveways. Residents are not permitted to plow or shovel the snow into the street or onto the sidewalks. The Municipality of Anchorage states that a citation may be issued for doing so. The Council of Better Business Bureau's website maintains a list of snow removal services in Anchorage.