POLITICAL PROPERTIES OF CRYSTALLINE H2O: PLANNING FOR SNOW SNOW EMERGENCIES IN NEW YORK

A MAJOR SNOWSTORM IN FEBRUARY 1969 PRODUCED A SERIOUS SNOW EMERGENCY IN NEW YORK CITY. THE MAYOR'S SYSTEMS ANALYSIS UNIT, AFTER A STUDY OF THE DATA ON SNOWFALLS AND THE WORK ACTIVITY DICTATED IN RESPONSE TO SNOW, CONFIRMED THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SNOW PLAN IS NECESSARY, FOR IT WILL BE EXERCISED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES A YEAR EVEN THOUGH INCAPACITATING STORMS ARE QUITE RARE. A NEW HIGH-PRIORITY NETWORK WAS DESIGNED, REPRESENTING 1,600 LINEAR MILES, OR 33% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL PLOW MILES. AN ANALYSIS OF WORK LOADS AND EQUIPMENT CAPABILITY SHOWED THAT THE SOLUTION WAS TO BE FOUND IN THE GEOGRAPHIC DEPLOYMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND THE RATE OF MOBILIZATION OF MANPOWER TO MAN THE EQUIPMENT. IN THE ENSUING FOUR YEARS ONLY ONE STORM REPRESENTED ANY SORT OF PRACTICAL TEST OF THE SYSTEM, AN 8" STORM ON A HOLIDAY, JANUARY 1,1971. EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY AND THE CITY WAS CLEANED UP WITHIN A FEW HOURS, WITH CREDIT PROPERLY GOING TO THE MAYOR, THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION, AND THE NEW PLAN.

• Authors:
  • Savas, E S
• Publication Date: 1973-10

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 137-45
• Serial:
  • MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue Number: 2

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Maintenance management; Maintenance practices; Snow removal; Urban areas
• Old TRIS Terms: Maintenance administration
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219172
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 20 1974 12:00AM