Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, joined by City and utility representatives, today said the City and community partners are ready to respond to a storm that is expected to produce snow and high winds late Tuesday, March 4.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory effective from 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, to 3 a.m. Wednesday, March 5. Wind gusts up to 70 mph and snow accumulation up to 3 inches are possible. A High Wind Warning is in effect until noon, Wednesday, March 5.
Due to rain Tuesday afternoon, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) will not pretreat streets with brine as it will wash off, said LTU Director Liz Elliot. Operations crews will monitor weather conditions and begin plowing as snow accumulates – focusing on arterial, school and emergency snow routes. Crews will continue checking street conditions during the storm, Elliott said, and will apply granular salt pre-wet with brine as necessary.
Due to dangerous high winds expected Tuesday evening, all StarTran routes will end at 7 p.m. and resume regular hours on Wednesday, March 5.
Elliott also encouraged community members to delay placing waste and recycling containers by their curbs overnight to help prevent blowing debris. Due to predicted high winds, the Bluff Road Landfill, 6001 Bluff Road, will delay opening until 10 a.m. Crews will resume daily maintenance of recycling sites Thursday morning.
Lincoln Parks and Recreation Director Maggie Stuckey-Ross said all recreation and community centers will follow normal hours of operation. The Pioneers Park Nature Center gated trails will have a delayed opening to allow staff to confirm safe access.
Paul Crist, Lincoln Electric System (LES) Vice President of Energy Delivery, said crews will be available to respond to customer requests in the event of power outages, although high winds may delay some repair work due to safety issues. He urged those needing electricity for medical equipment to test batteries and make arrangements for potential power loss.
Lincoln Police Assistant Chief Ryan Dale asked drivers to adjust their speed and following distance during inclement weather and to be patient when calling LPD, as officers will also be experiencing possible slippery and low visibility conditions.
Officials reminded community members that downed trees and power lines may be addressed in a variety of ways. Tree debris on private property is the responsibility of the property owner.
For tree debris on private properties, residents can contact their refuse haulers or take the debris to the North 48th Street Transfer Station, 5101 N. 48th St. Hours are 6:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 6:45 a.m. to noon Sundays. Regular disposal charges and fees apply. To avoid an extra charge, residents must cover and secure their loads. For more information, visit lincoln.ne.gov/Landfill.
To report a downed power line, visit the Lincoln Electric System outage page at les.com/report-outage or call 888-365-2412.
For trees blocking City streets or sidewalks, contact the Lincoln Police Department (LPD) non-emergency number, 402-441-6000. Do not call 911. LPD reports downed trees to the Community Forestry Section.
For public trees between the curb and sidewalk, contact the Parks and Recreation Community Forestry Section at 402-441-7847, ext. 0. Residents should provide a name, address, phone number, and specify whether there is a partial or complete blockage, and if a limb or larger portion of a tree has fallen.
Residents are also advised to watch for broken limbs that may still be hanging in trees. These can cause injury or damage when they fall.
Community members are encouraged to participate in the City Snow Angel Program that connects volunteers to community members who need help removing snow. Visit lincoln.ne.gov/SnowAngels for more information and to register.