HELENA — When the weather gets as cold as it’s been this week, getting out and shoveling snow may be the last thing on your mind, but scooping up piles of snow may be someone's ticket to getting to work or saving a life.
For Theresa Gardener, a receptionist at Ability Montana, her wheelchair is her main mode of transportation, putting hundreds of miles on it in the warmer months.
“We are not doing it just to go and have some fun out in the cold, maybe we have to get groceries and we do not have a bus to get," Gardner says.
Snowy sidewalks can cause challenges for those with mobility impairments, first responders and delivery drivers.
Most Montana cities require homeowners and businesses to clear snow from sidewalks bordering their property.
Richard Melgren, is a driver with Fed Ex and says, “When people shovel their driveways and sidewalks it makes my job easier because you know I’m not trudging through snow, not getting snow in my boots. It also means that is less of a hike or a climb.”
Under city code, snow must be removed from sidewalks in most of the city within 24 hours after the snow stops falling.
The exception is the city's commercial districts. In those areas, snow must be removed by 9:00 a.m. the next business day and by noon of the next non-business day or within 4 hours after the snow stops falling.
Failing to clear sidewalks can lead to a $50 civil penalty or 30% of the city's cost to clear the sidewalk, whichever is greater.
Even when shoveled it is important to be aware of where the piled-up snow is going as it can create issues with accessibility.
“Make sure that the curb cuts are cleared so when I can get down the sidewalk that I can get off the sidewalk safely," Gardner says.
But individuals with mobility equipment like wheelchairs and walkers are not the only ones who face challenges with the shoveled snow piles.
"Not only is access an issue with our firetrucks because we have to deal with heavy vehicles and navigating the roads but we have a lot of fires this time of year," Mike Chambers the assistant fire chief at Helena Fire Department says. "We do not want to be delayed and we sometimes have challenges finding hydrants if they are too buried so we have to dig them out and it causes a problem for us.”
Also without proper snow removal, sidewalks and driveways can be severely damaged due to freeze and thaw cycles causing large cracks and deterioration that prove to be dangerous to pedestrians year-round.
