City rents heavy equipment to help clean up after big Super Bowl storm
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While city crews have received praise for managing snowfall on the city’s main thoroughfares, including Lake Shore Drive, that praise has been lacking for the snow-plowing efforts on many residential streets. NBC Chicago’s Lauren Petty reports.
Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation on Wednesday morning deployed 650 pieces of snow-fighting equipment following a Super Bowl Sunday storm that dropped more than 19 inches of snow and a Tuesday evening encore that dumped another inch on the city.
Some of the heavy equipment that's deployed -- high-lifts, front-end loaders, backhoes and dumps -- is not owned by the city and was instead rented to help get the job done.
Throughout the city, many residents said they expect snow during the winter in Chicago but also expect the city to do a more expeditious job cleaning it up. While city crews have received praise for managing snowfall on the city's main thoroughfares, including Lake Shore Drive, that praise has been lacking for the snow-plowing efforts on many residential streets.
"I understand their frustration," said Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams. "We ask that [residents] understand there was 19 inches of snow, the fifth worst blizzard in Chicago’s history. Be patient with us, we will clear your street."
Also helping to tackle the snow on Wednesday will be employees from the departments of Transportation and Water Management. They'll help dig out around schools, parks, bus stops, fire stations, hydrants, and police stations, according to Streets and Sanitation spokeswoman Molly Poppe.
Danny Martinez
Do you want to build a snowman? Send your photos to us at isee@www.nbcchicago.com or through our mobile app.
Lissa Stanley
The wet, heavy snow is perfect for building snowmen, and many of our viewers were imaginative with their creations.
Jen
Go Patriots! Our snowman from Shorewood.
Stephanie Piper
A Seahawks snowman.
Jayson VonOsinski
11-foot snowman in Plainfield.
Jason Hasselbring
Snowman baseball. This is what snowmen do in Mazon, Illinois!
Bill Ackerman
When you are blessed with snow, you make a snowman in St Charles.
Karen R
Snowman in Plainfield.
Rick Osman
Which way is Florida?
Jim Pavalon
A 7-foot-tall snowman in Plainfield.
Yorkville, Illinois.
Sonja wormbly
Sunshine, the snow lady.
Ely and Susana Barreiro
We asked our older kids to help us build a snowman, but they were too tired from shoveling. We took it in our own hands and built our own Barreiro Snowman. Boy, did we have fun, even without the kids!
Tyler Granlund
My wife was letting my dog out last night, and I walked out to our backyard like this. She built these in 20 minutes because of how well the snow packed.
Bobby Bolton
This is Snowbucks, the snowman in Merrillville, Indiana, who enjoys coffee.
Jason
Building Olaf the snowman in the first winter storm of 2015.
Amanda Waechter
Snowmen and an igloo from the Waechter family.
Adam Woodworth
My wife, Krista Woodworth, used the technique of building a snow family to help clean the snow off of the driveway today in Lockport.
Raquel
Helen Sulla
Our "Frank the Bear" has been waiting for the snow in Hinsdale!
Emmanuel Moreno
Snowblob.
Galvin Kauffman
A nearly nine-foot-tall snowman in Munster.
sandra veatch
Snow-girl sporting Seahawks gear.
megan waters
Do you want to build a snowman?
kevin nicholson
Summer snow.
Danielle Lidster
An Oreo snowman in Crown Point, Ind.
Wendy
Jacob and Zachary from Crown Point, Ind., built a snowman over 6 feet tall!
Kim Koehler
Making good use of all this snow. Keep it coming!
Kelly Davis
Ready to go for a ride.
Colin sanderson
Snowman Super Bowl party Naperville.
Michelle Waclawik
Snow gargoyle.
Jayson VonOsinski
Eleven-foot-tall snowman in Plainfield.
Amber N Bolin
Waiting for summer.
oscar
Super Bowl in Elgin.
Elizabeth Williams
Snow-woman in Bloomingdale.
