About 3,200 parking citations issued Tuesday night as frustrations continue over snowplowing efficiency

Milwaukee (CBS 58) – The Department of Public works issued approximately 3,200 snow emergency parking citations Tuesday night, Feb. 2, as crews continued to address side streets following this weekend’s storm.

Some residents are concerned their neighborhoods did not see efficient snow removal.

Shad, a manager at a corner store in the city’s south side, said his store has not received deliveries in three days because trucks are worried about getting stuck in the snow.

“No any delivery comes to my store because the street doesn’t fix, doesn’t clean,” the store manager said.

On the same street, Madeline Montalvo asked for help to get over a snowbank, which is difficult for her because she has limited mobility with her left arm and left knee.

“They just dropped the ball this time, completely,” Montalvo said of the city’s snowplowing efforts. “It’s not just about salting the street, we need this clean.”

City aldermen said they heard complaints like this all week.

“I’m not necessarily looking to publicly to bash our snowplow drivers,” Ald. Greg Borkowski told CBS 58. “It was a heavy snow, I know some equipment was damaged, but by Wednesday, doggonit, it should be taken care of.”

Borkowski said the Public Works Committee will form a communication about DPW’s response to the most recent snowstorm later this month.

Borkowski also said he is concerned about staffing with DPW, primarily over how the city, in his view, is unable to be competitive with its salaries for snowplow crews compared to other communities in the county. On top of that, the issue of the snow removal fleet’s age has been something discussed at city hall for years.

CBS 58 Investigates looked into that issue last year.

DPW declined an interview but referred CBS 58 to testimony at a budget hearing in October of 2020. During that hearing, DPW officials said the COVID pandemic affected its operations but it could still address snow removal efficiently, even with lean staffing and its current equipment.

But the department emphasized the importance of adherence to snow emergency parking restrictions in order for crews to be successful and efficient in clearing streets.

Others in Milwaukee said they are grateful for the long hours and work put in by the department’s crews.

“Anybody who knows any snowplow drivers knows that they are working hard,” Dan Diliberti told CBS 58. “They’re doing the best that they can and I appreciate the work they’re doing.”