Clarksville, TN – The City of Clarksville is closely monitoring weather forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS), which currently feature increasing chances for snowfall in potentially heavy amounts through the weekend, in and around the Clarksville area.
The snow is likely to be accompanied by bitter cold temperatures into the first half of the coming week, complicating snow and ice removal, and delaying significant improvement in travel conditions.
The Clarksville Street Department began preparing snow plows and salt trucks from the first moment that the potential winter storm entered the weather forecast. City crews will be prepared to deploy throughout the City, in advance of, during, and in the wake of, any wintry precipitation.
As they do so, the public is asked to assist in helping to make plowing and salting efforts more efficient and effective.
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts and Clarksville Street Department Director David Smith ask that residents avoid parking their vehicles along the streets, beginning late Friday evening when the first snowfall could begin, and continuing until after the winter storm has passed and crews have completed their work of clearing the streets of snow and ice.
Residents are also asked to stay home and avoid any travel that isn’t absolutely necessary, for their own safety, and so that emergency first responders and street crews are able to freely, and safely pass.
The first priority for the Street Department will be to clear the main streets and arterial roads under the City’s jurisdiction, and then move into secondary and neighborhood streets.
“Please help our street crews move swiftly, safely, and efficiently through the neighborhoods of Clarksville during this anticipated weather event,” Mayor Pitts said. “By keeping the streetsides clear of vehicles, our snow plows and salt trucks can better-accomplish the mission of making all city streets safe and passable after the storm.”
In total, the City will have more than 30 trucks equipped for the storm, and traversing more than 700 miles of City streets. “When the total miles of City streets are calculated per traffic lane traveled by our trucks, bear in mind that the total mileage number is actually two to three times more,” Smith said.
In addition, Smith said a total of 70 Street Department employees are engaged in the process to help keep truck drivers fresh and alert, and to also work on clearing downtown sidewalks of snow and ice.
The City Garage led by Fleet Manager Billy Lee has support personnel engaged, to make sure any issues that might arise with vehicles or equipment are quickly resolved.
While there is still some uncertainty about the track of the expected winter storm, and total snowfall amounts to expect, meteorologists say confidence is increasing that there will be significant travel impacts across the region beginning late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Please continue to monitor updated weather forecasts from reputable sources, as well as further announcements from the City of Clarksville, Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, and other relevant local, state, and national agencies and organizations.
To view the City Street Department’s Snow Route Map to see how snow and ice removal is routinely prioritized, please visit https://arcg.is/ne8eC
