Hailey
Emporia went through a major winter storm in January, one of the worst the city had seen since 2009. Roads were covered with thick snow and ice, and many people found it extremely difficult to drive.
Because the streets stayed slippery for several days, residents started calling the city, asking questions, and posting complaints online. Many believed the snow removal team was not working properly. But the truth was very different.
City Manager Trey Cocking explained that snow removal workers, including Jeff Meek, were spending long, exhausting hours on the job. Meek even worked 18 hours straight during the storm. So, if manpower was not the issue, what exactly went wrong?
Equipment Problems During the Storm
One of the biggest problems Emporia faced was equipment failure. Before the storm even started, one of the city’s motor graders was already out of service.
This machine is important because it helps scrape ice and hard snow from the roads. When this grader broke down, it reduced the city’s ability to clear main roads effectively.
Things got worse when two dump trucks also broke down during the storm. These trucks carry salt, sand, and other materials used to melt ice. Repairs can sometimes be quick, but other times they take days. Unfortunately, this storm arrived at the worst possible moment.
Weather Conditions That Made Clearing Roads Very Hard
This storm was different from a normal winter snowfall. Several weather conditions worked against the snow removal team and made the job extremely difficult.
Below is a simple WordPress-style table showing the main challenges and their impact:
| Weather Problem | How It Affected Roads |
|---|---|
| Dry snow | Salt did not activate properly |
| Very low temperatures | Snow and ice stayed frozen for days |
| No sunlight | No natural melting took place |
| Half-inch layer of thick ice | Roads became almost impossible to clear |
Public Works Director Dean Grant explained how tough the situation was. He said that removing even a tiny layer of ice requires nearly 300 pounds of salt per lane mile.
But this storm created half an inch of ice, with more snow on top and even more ice forming after that. The amount of salt needed to melt everything was far more than the city normally uses.
The City Accepts the Problems and Plans Improvements
Even though the workers put in long hours, city officials were not satisfied with the results. They understood residents’ concerns and decided to take steps to improve the snow removal process before the next winter.
Jeff Meek and Dean Grant attended the North American Snow Conference, where they learned new ideas and techniques used by other cities. This inspired them to introduce several improvements in Emporia.
New Snow Removal Methods for the Next Winter
One of the new methods the city plans to test is using salt brine before a storm begins. Salt brine helps prevent ice from sticking to the road, which makes plowing easier and faster.
The city is also introducing a new snowplow route map. According to the plan, residents should not have to travel more than three blocks to reach a treated road. This will help people move more easily during heavy snow days.
Another problem people often complain about is snow being pushed into their driveways. City officials explained that Emporia does not have special dumping areas or equipment to carry snow away.
This means snow pushed by plows naturally ends up near driveways. To reduce this, residents are advised to shovel snow onto the side opposite the plow’s direction.
Why Emporia Cannot Buy Expensive Snow Equipment
Unlike cities in northern states, Emporia does not get frequent or extreme snowstorms. Buying very costly snow equipment does not make sense for a city that faces such storms only once in many years.
Even so, officials believe that with better planning and improved techniques, they are now much more prepared for future winters.
The January storm taught Emporia many lessons about preparation, equipment, and weather challenges. Although the storm was rare and unusually severe, the city has taken important steps to improve its snow removal process.
With new ideas, better planning, and stronger strategies, Emporia hopes to handle future winter storms more effectively and keep roads safer for everyone.