Snow Removal Vital to Safety and Mobility
City of Denver Reminds Residents and Businesses

 

Since senior citizens, people with disabilities, strollers and mail carriers - just to name a few – struggle to negotiate hazardous walkways after snowstorms, the City of Denver wants to remind local residents and businesses that we all need to do our part to make our community safe and accessible for all.

City ordinance requires that Denver businesses remove snow from their sidewalks within four (4) hours after a snowstorm ends and Denver residents remove snow from their sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowstorm ends. Violators that fail to remove snow from public sidewalks can receive fines ranging from $150 to $999.

"We want to take this opportunity to once again remind local residents how important cleared sidewalks are to the safety and mobility of our entire community, particularly our residents with disabilities. If you have neighbors who are unable to shovel their own walkways, please give them a hand."explained Public Works spokeswoman Ann Williams

The City of Denver’s Public Works Department, Community Planning and Development Department, and Commission for People with Disabilities work to proactively educate residents about sidewalk clearing requirements and promote the importance of clearing sidewalks after snowstorms. The Public Works Department also included information on sidewalk snow removal in the 270,543 snow brochures it mailed to Denver households and businesses in November. Additionally, the City works with RTD to support their efforts to keep bus stops clear of snow.

Though the City responds to all public sidewalk complaints, City inspectors also proactively survey commercial sidewalks and residential sidewalks along major thoroughfares, issuing warnings (and citations, if necessary) to property owners and occupants that are delinquent in removing snow. A $150 citation is issued if sidewalks are not cleared upon recheck. The fine for a second citation is $500, $999 for a third. With 2,000 linear miles of streets in Denver, the City focuses on public education efforts to remind residents about their obligation to remove snow from residential sidewalks.

"Our goal is not to penalize businesses or residents; we simply want to get the sidewalks cleared," said Julius Zsako, spokesman for Community Planning and Development. "If we all do our part – and some of us do a little more by helping our neighbors – we can get our walkways cleared. It's a shared responsibility. From what we’re hearing and seeing, residents are getting this message and responding to it pretty well."

The City asks that residents and businesses clear the entire width of walkways to allow full access for wheelchairs, power chairs and strollers. While the City doesn’t perform residential snow removal, below are some tips:

• If you are a healthy person who is comfortable shoveling snow, please help out your neighbors. Is there a senior citizen on your block? A new mom?  Someone with a disability? Someone who is ill and could use a hand? Visit your neighbors or keep an eye out to identify and assist anyone that needs help clearing their walkways.
  
• If you are unable to clear your own sidewalks, is there a neighbor, caretaker or family member who could offer assistance?  Develop a plan for the remainder of the winter. If your budget allows, consider engaging a residential snow removal company to consistently clear your walkways.
  
• If there are residential sidewalks that have not been cleared within 24 hours of when the last snowstorm ended, residents may report the addresses to 311.

# # #