Anchorage's Winter Sidewalk Nightmare: Who Clears What?

0:00Anchorage stories making news on March 8th. Winter sidewalks in Anchorage are a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists buried under heavy ice, snow berms and slippery spots that push people into the streets alongside cars. The main issue boils down to, who clears what, with the state handling major roads and the city tackling others, leading to uneven progress this season. Stay crews from the Department of Transportation face delays due to aging equipment breakdowns, funding cuts of $2 million last year, and massive snow dumps that broke records in January. Their goal is to clear sidewalks in two to four days after storms, but equipment issues push some back further until they caught up recently. Residents are fed up, like West Anchorage's Carrie Lynch, who complained about a Benson Boulevard path staying snowed in for over a month, forcing her. To dodge traffic on bike, foot, or bus. One local even got a ticket for walking in the road because sidewalks were impassable, highlighting the real dangers.

1:02The city has stepped up, plowing its sidewalks in about two days on average, thanks to a new bond generating $3.5 million a year, for equipment and full staffing. Downtown partnership clears 30 miles of paths quickly by coordinating snow hauling. Meanwhile, more snow fell over the weekend, testing crews again as they work on new blowers and diversified gear to keep paths safer for everyone. Thanks to our sponsor for supporting today's coverage, headphones and a pillow, simple idea, surprisingly addictive, S-O-L-I-SoliPillo.com.