The technology — part of the snow removal plan Mayor Justin Bibb introduced after Winter Storm Landon in January — includes a tablet, mapping software and location trackers for snowplows and will help the city reduce the number of streets that go unplowed, said Cleveland Director of Public Works Frank Williams.
Previously, snowplow drivers used paper maps, which led to different shifts of snowplow drivers servicing the same area more than once or leaving certain streets alone.
The major difference is the old technology was wasn’t designed to show where snowplows were and provide status reports, Cleveland spokeswoman Marie Zickefoose said in an email. Under the old system, not all snowplows had the tracking system and status reports — i.e. when a given road is done being plowed — had to be delivered verbally, Zickefoose said.
Under the new system, all snowplows will have a tablet and a system specially designed to help drivers log completed roads and find roads others may have missed. Status updates will be completed through the software, Zickefoose said.
The technology will also help if city officials have to assign snowplow drivers to new areas. The city last year piloted an interactive map that lets residents see the roads that have already been plowed so residents know if their route is clear. The city this year plans to use the live map, which will also give residents a heads-up to move their cars if they are parked on the street, Williams said.
Depending on the amount of snow, it takes four to eight hours for snow crews to make it to residential streets – which are prioritized behind main and “secondary” streets, Williams said.
On Sunday, the city’s west side received a skiff of snow, while more fell on the east side. Cleveland’s Chief Operating Officer Bonnie Teeuwen said the city “did a pretty good job.” The National Weather Service reported 4.5 inches in Cleveland Heights and 3.5 in Euclid, while suburbs farther east received more.
The city has been meeting since July to prepare for snowstorms, and that’s part of what Teeuwen credits for the city clearing streets faster than expected on Sunday.
Cleveland has a leg up on the Ohio Department of Transportation, which has just over half the staff it asked for, despite offering incentives. Cleveland, in contrast, has enough staff, but still needs to train some new employees before they can start clearing snow, Williams said.
Since only part of the city saw serious snowfall, the storm functioned almost as a dress rehearsal for the winter to come.
“Snow and ice season is upon us,” Teeuwen said.
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