Your questions answered: Snow and ice response

Why is it so hard to remove snow from Boulder's streets?

Kaylee Harter wrote a story about this issue last year for the Boulder Weekly. You can read the story here. In short, we get a lot more snow than most cities our size, we have many shaded streets, and our budget, equipment, and workforce limit how much snow removal we can do.

Why is my street no longer plowed every time it snows?

The city's snow and ice response program changed this season based on a years-long update to create a snow and ice response that is predictable, fair, and fits within the city's budget.

What is the logic behind the new approach?

The city's snow response now depends on storm size: small (less than 3 inches), medium (3-8 inches), and large (more than 8 inches) snowfall. This approach allows the city to titrate its response based on staff, budget, and infrastructure needs. It also aligns with community priorities like clearing major streets, pedestrian crossings, multi-use paths, and important bike routes.

Why did the city make this change?

The old snow and ice response was financially unsustainable, unfair, and unpredictable. Some roads were cleared regularly (e.g., emergency and school bus routes). Other roads were only cleared in response to complaints (e.g., residents calling to report ice). We didn't always clear roads efficiently that many people needed, such as emergency routes, because the staff was often pulled away to address complaints in specific neighborhoods.

Why didn't I know about this change?

Given how much information we must process and remember, getting everyone's attention on any issue is impossible. Nevertheless, the city persisted. Staff sent out notices during and after the update in newsletters and utility billing inserts, Inside Boulder News, news releases, on a project webpage, on social media, through community partners, and in multiple meeting agendas with the Transportation Advisory Board and the City Council. Local papers reported on it, too (e.g., the Daily Camera and Boulder Weekly).

Why aren't my property taxes enough to plow my street?

For every dollar of property tax you pay, the City of Boulder gets about $0.14 (fourteen cents). Most of your property taxes go to the school district and Boulder County, neither of which plow the city's streets.

Who decides on the storm-size response?

The storm-size response depends on how much snow is predicted. This means we determine staffing levels 24 hours in advance. Most city staff don't live in Boulder. They can't get here immediately if a storm intensifies rapidly, especially if travel is dangerous. We cannot easily change course mid-way through a storm because we make storm-size predictions in advance based on local, regional, and national sources. However, adjustments may be made after the fact.

Why are we not removing snow from my street if it is less than 3"?

The cost of clearing hundreds of miles of residential streets would require taking resources away from other city services such as fire-rescue, police, and human services. Vehicle activity and sunlight often make residential roads functional before city snowplows can reach them. By clearing high-traffic streets, emergency response routes, and high-ridership transit stops, the city prioritizes the most important routes for transportation, safety, and accessibility.

Why can't Boulder implement a snow removal program of similar efficiency to Longmont [or other Front Range cities]?

Boulder receives twice as much snow as Longmont during the snow season. Boulder is closer to the mountains, which block the sun in the afternoons and give us fewer sunlight hours to melt snow. Also, many people don't realize that most Front Range cities don't clear residential streets. Boulder residents typically drive on non-residential, arterial and connector streets when they are in other cities. Longmont staff clear snow from 41% of city‐maintained streets during all storms. Boulder staff clear snow on 31% of city streets during small storms, 57% during medium storms, and 61% during large storms.

Can we change the new policy?

City staff will examine the impacts of this new policy after the 2024-2025 snow season is over and likely make some operational adjustments after learning from this first snow season using the storm-size response system. However, the new approach is efficient, cost-effective, predictable, and fair. Given our limited funds, workers, and resources, it is unlikely to change significantly.

This new policy stinks and I don't like it.

I'm genuinely sorry. I wish we could plow everything all the time.

We don't have enough funds, resources, or workers to clear residential streets with every storm. And even if we did, it would come at the cost of other programs. Would we close our recreation or senior centers? Do less wildfire mitigation? Fill fewer potholes? Avoid updating our water and sewage systems?

As our climate and economic crises worsen, we will have to make many more tradeoffs. These choices won't be easy, but they will be easier with our brilliant, committed, and creative staff. Even if you're frustrated by these changes, please recognize our staff's stalwart work to keep us safe and well in these unusual times.