Wilmington is expected to stay at below-freezing temperatures until next week, meaning the snow is here to stay.
And Wilmington’s Public Works crews are trying to make roads safer by focusing on primary roads and emergency routes.
City Councilmember James Spadola applauded the Public Works crews for their efforts so far, but said there’s still work to be done.
“We don't need just continued plowing…” Spadola said. “We need continued hauling and extraction of it out of the city or into parking lots, put into dump trucks – all the above. I'm not a public works professional, but any option should be considered, because there's still neighborhoods all over the city that are having issues with the snow.”
But the temperatures are too low for salt to be effective against ice, and a city spokesperson said there’s limited space to deposit plowed snow.
City crews have treated roadways since Saturday afternoon, with several crews working overnight.
“[These] efforts will continue until all roadways are passable,” the spokesperson said.
Spadola heard reports of residents worrying they won’t have parking when they come back home. The same is happening around small businesses, where there are few parking spots for people to patronize.
“There's many seniors, they may live in a high rise, ideally close to a grocery store or neighborhood store where they can get what they need,” Spadola said. “And the sidewalks are, of course, the responsibility of the property owner. But they need to cross the street, and that's the responsibility of the city. So the city just needs to keep at it.”
Spadola said he wants to see more action in secondary and tertiary roads as well as continued communication about city plans from the administration moving forward.
He also encouraged folks to check in on their neighbors and call 311 if they have any individual issues.
