What’s taking so long? Slow process of massive snow removal causes aggravation for municipalities and residents

Nov 23, 2023

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A front loader is ready to pour a bucket load of snow into a waiting dump truck on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

An individual clears a walkway at home along Broad Street Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Some of the cleared sidewalk outside of La Parada Market on Linden St in Allentown.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Allentown workers clear snow along Washington Street as the Lehigh Valley digs out from a storm that left more than 2 feet of snow across much of the region. Municipal officials say it may take days to remove all the snow.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Guillermo Rivera helps dig out cars in front of La Parada Market on Linden St in Allentown.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

The sidewalk along snow covered 1600 block of Turner St. in Allentown looks mostly unshoveled.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

An individual tosses a shovel load of snow onto Turner Street as he and others try to free their vehicles Tuesday in Allentown. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow making it a nightmare for area residents.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

People remove the snow from their homes and cars in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A truck drives covered in snow in Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Shakia Goodwin of Nazareth takes a break from walking from a store to purchase a shovel to dig out her vehicle Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm. "I tried to bribe people $50 for help and had no takers" Goodwin said.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Jessica Bons of Allentown records the moment as crews' clear massive amount of snow along Washington Street near Eighth Street in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A front loader is ready to pour a bucket load of snow into a waiting dump truck on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Turner St. Market and Deli American and Spanish Grocery.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A suv drives with its roof covered with snow in Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Guillermo Rivera helps dig out cars in front of La Parada Market on Linden St in Allentown.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Not just all work, Nazareth residents James Seargen, 14, left, defends himself as Savannah Bogari, 18, tosses a large chunk of snow during a snow ball fight Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

An Allentown Public Works plow truck blocks Washington Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

"It took me three hours to dig out the first car and shovel the driveway," said Rane Newry, who then sighed and added, "now I have to work on the other car" Tuesday in northeast Bethlehem.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A city plow pushes through the snow and slush Tuesday in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of the Lehigh Valley.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Marcial and Francely Cordero shovel heavy snow on the corner of N. Franklin and Linden Street in Allentown.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A stream of snow flies from an individual's snowblower as he clears a sidewalk Tuesday in Bath. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A front loader scoops a bucket full of snow on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. THere are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A grotto with a statue of a saint is filled with snow in northeast Bethlehem in the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valleym dumping more than 2 feet of snow in most areas.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

People remove the snow from their homes and cars in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A person steps in the deep snow in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

City of Bethlehem snow plows push through the snow and slush in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Hailey Carson, 6, dances and plays on top of the snow, not falling through the heavy powder, in her grandparent's front yard Tuesday in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that dumped more than 2 feet of snow on the Lehigh Valley.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A front loader scoops a bucket full of snow on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

People remove the snow from their homes and cars in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Rusty Pearson uses his snow blower to remove the snow in front of his home in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Nicklas Bogari, 19, of Nazareth takes his snowblower and tries to clear more than two feet of snow Tuesday in the borough.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

City of Bethlehem snow plows push through the snow and slush in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Evan Weeks of Bethlehem shovels a path for himself and others Tuesday at his townhouse complex. He said he tried to walk down the street to Wawa on Monday and didn't want others to experience his difficulty. He said people should shovel their sidewalks to help others out.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

An individual helps a driver Tuesday by pushing a vehicle out from a parking space along East Prospect Street in Nazareth. Someone entered a measurement of 36 inches of snow in the borough, the National Weather Service reported.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

Jonah Quattrini and his father, Augie Quattrini, live on 15th Street but were digging out Augie's car on Turner Street in Allentown.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Keeping his morning cup of coffee on the roof of his car, Willis Esterly shovels out one of his cars from the snow in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

An person riding an ATV is seen in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

People remove the snow from their homes and cars in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Antione Mason of Allentown takes a shovel full of snow and gives it a good toss while assisting a resident dig a car out on Turner Street Tuesday in Allentown. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow making it a nightmare for area residents.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

"It took me three hours to dig out the first car and shovel the driveway." said Rane Newry as she then sighs, "now I have to work on the other car." in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Tyrell Jacobs of Allentown takes a shovel full of snow and gives it a good toss while assisting a resident dig a car out on Turner Street Tuesday in Allentown. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow making it a nightmare for area residents.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A front loader pours a bucket load of snow into a waiting dump truck on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

People walk with shovels in hand along plowed streets and snow covered cars on the1500 block Turner Street in Allentown.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Slushy tacks are left on Washington Street near Eighth Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Allentown residents work hard to remove snow and free their vehicles Tuesday along North Sixth Street. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than 2 feet of snow, which will require days to fully remove from city streets. Officials pleaded for patience, and urged residents to not throw snow into the street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Allentown workers clear snow along Washington Street as the Lehigh Valley digs out from a storm that left more than 2 feet of snow across much of the region. Municipal officials say it may take days to remove all the snow.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A neighborhood scene in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

Kayla Dwyer / The Morning Call

The 100 block of North West Street is heavily covered in snow in Allentown.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Hailey Carson, 6, dances and plays on top of the snow not failing through in her grandparent's front yard in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Residents work to free their vehicles but are hampered with an unplowed Law Street Tuesday in Allentown. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow making it a nightmare for area residents.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Not just all work, Nazareth residents James Seargen, 14, left, and Savannah Bogari, 18, are both hit each other at the same time during snow during a snowball fight Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Snow pushes on front doors along homes in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Not just all work, Nazareth residents James Seargen, 14, left, defends himself as Savannah Bogari, 18, tosses a large chunk of snow during a snow ball fight Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Evan Weeks of Bethlehem shovels a path for himself and others Tuesday at his townhouse complex. He said he tried to walk down the street to Wawa on Monday and didn't want others to experience his difficulty. He said people should shovel their sidewalks to help others out.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

Rusty Pearson uses his snow blower to remove the snow in front of his home in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth clears snow from in front of the post office in Center Square.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

A person wearing a yellow snowsuit adds a splash of color among the snow in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

Allentown residents work hard to remove snow so they can free their vehicles Tuesday along North Sixth Street in Allentown. The Lehigh Valley was socked with more than two feet of snow making it a nightmare for area residents.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

The American Flag as a backdrop, large fluffy snowflakes fall gently to the ground Tuesday in Nazareth as the borough received more than two feet of snow during the winter storm.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

An Allentown Public Works employee who goes by the name of "Bear" points out how motorist try to make their way down a closed Washington Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call

A sign informing area residents about no parking is displayed along Washington Street near Seventh Street Wednesday as crews work on clearing snow along the road in Allentown. There are plenty of challenges facing municipalities removing massive amounts of snow after a record-setting storm.

April Gamiz/The Morning Call

People remove the snow from their homes and cars in northeast Bethlehem during the aftermath of a winter storm that hit the Lehigh Valley dumping more than two feet of snow in most areas on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Nazareth trucks snow to Kim Donald Kromer Park on Sage Street.

Amy Shortell / The Morning Call

Snow removal continued Wednesday across the Lehigh Valley. Here the Department of Public Works of Allentown clears snow along Washington Street.

After this week's nor’easter dumped 3 feet of snow in Nazareth — its 36.1 inches was the highest single snow count of any state in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, according to the National Weather Service — borough Councilman Christopher Crook, head of the public works committee, crunched some numbers.

A typical residential lot in the borough is 50 feet wide, so the street in front of such a lot accumulated roughly 4,200 cubic feet of snow.

Extrapolate the math along 27 miles of road in the borough, and you get almost 12 million cubic feet of snow. That doesn't include sidewalks or parking lots.

"We have to move it somewhere," he said Wednesday, as crews worked until nightfall filling dump trucks with snow from the downtown business district and piling it in a borough park.

After every major storm, snow causes headaches for municipalities trying to keep up with Mother Nature, as well as for frustrated, immobilized residents. The cleanup following this winter storm, which dropped 30 inches of snow in many areas of the Lehigh Valley, is far from over.

In Upper Saucon Township, Bryan and Kate Kane cleared their driveway of the snow that plows pushed there Tuesday afternoon, only to return to the task that evening after a second plow undid their work. This is one of the most common complaints called into municipalities around the Valley, managers say.

In south Bethlehem, to Esther Lee's naked eye, her hilly Cherokee Street neighborhood looks as though plows never came by at all. She uses a cane to walk, and is worried how she might get out if there were an emergency.

"I’ve never been to a place that looks like this," she said. "Nothing's expected to be done all at once. But there ought to be a plan."

Officials understand the aggravation. In Tatamy, both Mayor Chris Moren and his public works director had their driveways plowed in. But when the priority is getting streets cleared as quickly as possible so emergency services can travel, plow drivers simply cannot afford to lift up their blades every 6-8 feet.

"It's a fact of life. It's just the nature of the business," Moren said. "We are all affected."

Plows have to angle their blades to the right because the snow becomes too heavy for the machine if pushed head-on, Catasauqua Borough Manager Steve Travers explained. One way residents could alleviate the issue is by anticipating where the snow will get pushed, and shoveling snow into a pile on the opposite side.

But there's little residents can do when they live on smaller, narrower, less-traveled streets.

"The smaller the street, the lower the priority," Travers said, with regard to clearing snow. "Unfortunately, that's how you have to do it. We don't have an endless supply of people."

In Catasauqua, for example, there would ideally have been 10 trucks running at all times during the storm. Snow-removal related injuries and another health issue took out three employees. Still, crews hit every residential street about five times during the storm, Travers said, and now they are working down a list of alleys.

The heaviness of this storm took out four of Upper Saucon's 17 trucks, which township manager Tom Beil said is very unusual. The township also had a water main break Monday that pulled two employees away from plowing.

In a long and heavy storm like this one, plows must make multiple passes through all city streets — alleys being the exception — to prevent roads from becoming an overwhelming a problem for removal later, Bethlehem Public Works Director Michael Alkhal said.

While it's unlikely Cherokee Street didn't see at least one plow, it's not surprising that it appears untouched, he said.

"During the middle of the storm, they would plow a street, and half hour later, you would swear on your life that they didn't go through it," he said. "I wouldn't rule it out completely that we haven't plowed [Cherokee Street] enough yet."

For municipalities, plowing is a round-the-clock operation. Snow removal — using front-loaders to haul snow from street corners to open space, like parks and parking lots — takes more time, Alkhal said.

Some municipalities, including Bethlehem and Catasauqua, hire outside help. Beginning Thursday, private contractors in Catasauqua will take truckloads of snow from snow emergency routes and dump it in the parking lot of the borough pool, as well as into two other open spaces. Bethlehem dumps much of its snow on Sand Island.

"We’re doing really well given the conditions," Alkhal said, as Bethlehem has cleared all of its main roads and many of its secondary roads. "If you’re in an alley, you’d disagree. But you have to look at the city as a whole."

Allentown crews and private contractors began the snow removal process 7 a.m. Wednesday with 12-hour shifts that run through Thursday night. Similarly in Bethlehem, Alkhal predicts the process, involving 40 round-the-clock city units plus private contractors, will take about two days.

Still, on Wednesday, some snowed-in city residents resorted to calling police when they were unable to get to work, or to report snow being thrown in the street, which Allentown has urged residents not to do.

When Allentown police get these calls, the first thing they do is urge the caller to have patience, Assistant Chief Charlie Roca said. Police will come to the aid of someone stranded in their car, for example, but they can't dig out every resident.

"We’re hearing the phone calls and we understand," he said. "We urge patience. We’re going to navigate through this."

More rural townships such as Upper Saucon do not have to contend with hauling massive amounts of snow from streetscapes to empty parking lots. By Tuesday night, all 90 miles of township-owned roads were plowed, and on Wednesday, crews touched up intersections, Beil said.

But the township does have more than 5,000 driveways. There's no practical way to clear everyone's driveway, and the township can't justify special exceptions out of fairness to other residents, he said.

Moren, of Tatamy, said he hears the same issues every time there is a big snow storm.

In Tatamy on Wednesday, the borough's three public works employees went out with front-end loaders to remove snow from street corners and alleys that the conventional plow trucks couldn't get to. Moren said he expects all the borough's roads to be clean, curb-to-curb, by the end of Thursday.

And then, like always, he said: "By the time we’re done, it’ll be like it never happened."

Another storm could hit the Lehigh Valley this weekend.

Morning Call reporter Kayla Dwyer can be reached at 610-820-6554 or at [email protected].

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