Berm busters

POST FALLS — Post Falls has opened a new gate on snow removal.

The city's fiscal 2019 budget approved this week includes $135,000 to lease four loaders, plows and snow gates aimed at reducing snow berms in driveways.

"Staff wants to try those out this year and see how they work out," Finance Director Jason Faulkner said during the public hearing on the budget.

The move has been advocated by some residents for years. It comes after a committee was formed to look at the pros and cons and costs of implementing snow gates — hydraulic attachments to plows that prevent snow from entering entrances to driveways as the vehicles pass.

Paul Kinney, Public Works maintenance manager, said while the budget reflects snow gates, the city council has not approved the rollout of a specific program.

He said staff plans to bring forward recommendations at a workshop that will be scheduled.

Rick Whitehead, a five-year Post Falls resident who served on the committee that explored snow gates, said he believes such equipment is a step in the right direction.

"If it makes it easier on everybody, that's a good thing," he said, adding that he also realizes the more time that's spent on berm reduction of driveways will delay the overall time to clear streets. "We've got to find a balance."

Whitehead said he was asked to serve on the committee after he expressed concern that the city's initiative toward making Post Falls a "walkable city" during the winter would delay snow removal from streets.

City officials have said, if snow is reduced from all driveways, the service could at least double the amount of time to clear the streets.

Kinney said the greatest number of complaints his department receives are about snow berms left in front of driveways.

Snow gates will reduce the berms, but not eliminate them altogether.

Post Falls has offered a snow berm reduction program for residents who have a disability or otherwise can't remove the snow or have a household member do it. Those who apply and qualify have a marker placed in their yard to notify city workers to reduce the berm. Nearly 600 households use the program.

Other major cities in Kootenai County, including Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Rathdrum, already use snow gates in their operations.

Officials in those cities say snow gates work well with the smaller, lighter snowstorms and not as well with heavy, wet storms when snow gates are more prone to problems.