Some wish it would come sooner, others wish it would not come at all, but every year, winter does arrive. And this year winter arrived with a bang. Overnight, several inches of snow, ice, and wind that slowed traffic to a crawl and had Bozeman residents digging through their closets for that hat and gloves cast aside several months ago.

As we all adjust our internal compass from Indian Summer to Early Winter…the City of Bozeman hopes we can all work together to keep our streets, sidewalks and driveways safe for our friends and neighbors. It takes each of us being mindful and considerate of each other to navigate this winter season safely.

Not only is it safe and considerate to shovel your sidewalk within 24 hours of snowfall within the city limits, it’s also the law. Whether you own or rent your residence, your sidewalk must be maintained for you and your neighbor’s safety. So, pay the neighbor kid, invest in that snowblower, or eschew your morning gym routine in favor of some economical, shovel-scooping snow removal exercise. No matter your method, make certain your sidewalk is shoveled and safe for your neighbors and friends lest you be issued a citation from our community police department. It’s better to save your cash for lift tickets!

The City of Bozeman works diligently to ensure our streets are plowed and safe for vehicular travel during our snowy season. Our yellow plow trucks start their rounds at 3:00 am and continue into the evening during days when it really dumps. Do your part by giving the trucks a wide berth, and park your car in your driveway or alley to give the plow trucks more room to move the snow on our busy streets. Additionally, headed to see Aunt Sue for the holidays, or cashing in those airline miles for some Hawaii sun mid-winter? Find a good, safe place for your rig, too. Vehicles left unattended for 48 hours or more on our city streets in the winter months may be issued a citation.

Let’s enjoy winter together. We all enjoy pick up hockey games at our local parks, powder days at our local ski areas, world class ice climbing in nearby Hyalite Canyon and curling up next to the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. Let’s work together to make the rest of winter – the shoveling and traveling – enjoyable as well. For more information about sidewalk shoveling and winter plowing (did you know that the City has a road plowing priority map? Check it out on our website and see where your neighborhood or daily commute ranks!) from the City of Bozeman, visit www.bozemanstreetreport.com    

Dr. Craig Woolard is the Public Works Director for the City of Bozeman.