Residential Plow Program Activated For First Time In 2 Years

DENVER (CBS4) - The city is pulling out all the stops to take on this winter blast. Mayor Michael Hancock thanked plow drivers on Saturday for going on full snow patrol.

It's been two years since these crews have seen any action, but they're a team of trained drivers who will be plowing main and residential streets.

The Residential Plow Program is activated when winter weather forecasts more than a foot of snow and combines with prolonged freezing temperatures. It was created after the so called Snowpalooza of 2006.

"We spent a significant amount of money removing the snow from every residential street," said David Huntsinger, snow plow driver.

Now the program uses city employees and trained volunteers, like Huntsinger, who said, "Every member here goes through a four hour training every year."

Nancy Kuhn of Denver Public Works explained, "These plows take a single swipe down the center of the residential street. Their goal is not to reach bare pavement but to take off a few inches of snow off the top of the street."

Public works organizers said the roughly 96 crews will work in 12 hour shifts from now until Sunday at noon.

As drivers get ready to man the plows, they remind residents to treat the smaller plows the same as you would their larger counterparts.