Chicago Agencies Respond to Snow Storm

The City of Chicago was hit with its first major snow storm in several years and city agencies have begun their response efforts, according to a statement from the mayor’s office.

The Department of Streets and Sanitation is monitoring road conditions and has deployed more than 280 salt spreaders to remove snow and spread salt, ensuring streets are safe and passable for motorists and emergency vehicles. During snow events like this, crews first tackle arterial streets to keep the city’s major roadways open, followed by residential streets.

To minimize the impact of weather on operations at O’Hare and Midway airports, the Chicago Department of Aviation has 280 city drivers operating heavy snow equipment to keep runways open. On Friday, the agency announced that airlines proactively canceled more than 700 flights at O-Hare and 250 flights at Midway.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is responsible for clearing snow from protected bike lanes, downtown bridge decks, and some expressway overpasses.

In addition, the Department of Water Management has added crews to address any issues that may arise and the city has a network of facilities designated as “warming centers,” including Chicago Public Library branches.