Lincoln snow removal company puts in long hours plowing residential areas
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – As Lincoln snowplow crews were finishing up in residential areas on Tuesday, independent companies are staying busy.
When it comes to plowing the roads after a snowstorm, the city focuses first on main arterial streets.
Before the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department sends plows out to residential areas, the crews consider many factors, including the temperature, forecast and duration of snowfall.
During this snowstorm, LTU is plowing neighborhoods.
But if they decide not to, people will have to call an independent snow removal company.
“The issue that we have now is that those streets can’t be plowed by just anybody,” said Ted Glaser, the owner of Summit Lawns. “It is exclusively through the city that those streets can go be done, so if a private contractor is not paid by somebody to go do it, nobody is going to do it.”
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Glaser said his company mostly focuses on clearing driveways, sidewalks and parking lots.
“There are very few contractors in Lincoln who do residential,” he said. “If anyone is going to buy all of the equipment to go do snow, they’re probably going to do commercial.”
Summit Lawns serves hundreds of homeowners when the snow hits.
Some of his crews worked nonstop for almost 18 hours.
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Glaser said his services can help keep everyone safe, especially during brutally cold temperatures.
“When it’s negative 30 degrees, the human body can only do so much,” he said. “And when it snows like this, it can make it really, really hard for people to get this stuff done.”
He said companies like his play a pivotal role in these intense snowstorms.
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“We are the first responders for the first responders,” Glaser said. “It is we who are out before the ambulances, the firetrucks. Someone has to plow the hospitals, the roads so they can get to where they’re going.”
If you think your street needs more attention from LTU, you can request service online.
