Winter Is Coming: Edgewater and Snow

Tonight looks like it’s going to be our first big snow of the winter. Check with seniors on your block and offer to shovel their sidewalk and/or driveway tomorrow morning. Here are some helpful reminders from the City of Edgewater’s website regarding snow policies:

Do I need to shovel ice and snow off of my sidewalk?
Yes, snow and ice build-up in the gutters and on sidewalks is not removed by the City and is the responsibility of the owner or occupant. When residents fail to clear their sidewalks, the results can be a treacherous ice path. We need your help in protecting pedestrians from possible injury. Most build-up of ice in gutters and on sidewalks is due to cold ground and pavement temperatures at areas shaded by a house or coniferous trees on the south side of a street. Drainage from melted snow refreezes at the shaded areas. Clearing snow from the gutters and shoveling sidewalk snow away from the gutters, especially at shaded areas, can greatly reduce ice build-up problems. Also, trimming vegetation in the fall can often reduce the amount of shade, resulting in less ice build-up on the street. If your sidewalk is icy, you may correct the hazard by applying sand, deicer or cat litter.

What is the City of Edgewater’s snow plowing policy?
The City’s Public Works Department will put forth every effort to control ice and snow which will provide a safe transportation system at a minimum of inconvenience for all in Edgewater. The only roadways that are plowed are the Avenues, Pierce and Harlan Street. Please be reminded we do not plow the north-south streets unless there is an emergency. Through past experience, we have found that our citizens do not appreciate snow being plowed into parking areas that have just been dug out and that there are simply too many cars parked on the side streets. This method assures that all residents are within a maximum of one hundred (100) yards from a plowed street.

What if my street is not plowed and I need emergency services?
The City is in communication with the Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District (WRFPD) and Edgewater Police Department. The nearest snowplow will be directed to respond immediately to a request by the WRFPD and Police Department to plow a residential street for emergency vehicle access. Anyone needing an ambulance in a medical emergency should contact 911 and the necessary steps to plow residential streets will be coordinated.

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.