CARBONDALE USES SNOW ROUTE PLAN

As residents complain of Cape Girardeau's snow removal, some people think a designated snow route, like the one used by the city of Carbondale, Ill., might be beneficial.

A snow route sets a priority of streets that are cleared of snow or ice during a storm.

During the plowing, no cars may park on the snow route, and violators can be ticketed and risk being towed.

Officials in Carbondale, a city of 30,000, designated a snow route in 1980.

It's a win-win situation said Carbondale street department employee Wayne Wills.

"We've tried to make it so that no one has to drive more than a city block before being able to access the snow route," he said.

The snow route includes an "automatic declaration," meaning residents must remove their cars from the street when two inches of snow accumulates.

Signs are posted to notify residents of the policy, with police authorized to ticket parked cars during a snow emergency. The last resort is towing.

Wills said, "We have not had to tow, except on a couple of occasions" during the past eight years.

Cape Girardeau, which doesn't have a snow route policy, could benefit from one, said Tim Gramling, assistant public works director.

"It is something that could be beneficial if it had the support of the community," Gramling said, "especially some of the businesses."

He said business owners along a snow route, however, might not like the no-parking policy during snow emergencies.

City Manager Mike Miller couldn't recall the idea of a snow route being broached during his tenure.