City Public Service Department crews have been working overnight and throughout the day today, prioritizing Level 1 and 2 streets – the City’s main thoroughfares and connector roads – as well as assuring safe access to hospitals.

As today progressed, crews were able to switch over to salting and plowing Level 3 streets – entrances to neighborhoods and subdivisions – and smaller residential streets.

However, as temperatures plunge today and into the weekend, salt will become less effective.

Crews will continue salting and plowing streets throughout the weekend and are excited to see Monday’s forecast of temperatures above the 40-degree mark.

“Our crews have been working hard, 24/7, for six days straight,” Chief of Staff David Brace said this afternoon. “They made tremendous progress yesterday, when we finally got temperatures above freezing. But then, more ice and snow came, and the warm weather and sunshine disappeared.

“We understand residents are ready for the snow and ice to be gone and to move back into their normal travel habits. But with last night’s freezing rain event and snow falling today, travel conditions will continue to be a challenge. Please know our teams are working long hours and are committed to pushing hard on Saturday and Sunday.”


UPDATES ON CITY SERVICES TODAY


• Level 1 and 2 streets total about 500 lane miles. Level 3s and residential streets dwarf that number of miles. Because of the repeated waves of precipitation, temperature drops and refreezes, each road has to be treated repeatedly – and crews also scramble to remediate trouble spots, such as hills, bridges and hospital approaches that have refrozen. The City has replenished its salt stockpile. An extra 1,800 tons, at $122 a ton, are being delivered.

• The cost of battling this week’s snowstorm won’t be known for a week or two. But Public Service’s costs, including employees’ overtime and resource purchases, has already exceeded $335,000, as of mid-week. And crews have been out 24/7 since then.

• City offices and City Court were closed today, and Knoxville Area Transit suspended service due to treacherous road conditions. Please continue to check KAT's Facebook page, Twitter page, website and Transit app for updates.

• The City’s Solid Waste Facility, 1033 Elm St., will be closed Saturday, Jan. 20.

• Waste Connections crews and City downtown crews have been unable to collect residential trash and recyclables this week.

Any trash or recyclables not collected this week will be picked up on neighborhoods’ next regular pickup service day. Any overflow trash that doesn’t fit in the cart should be bagged and set next to the cart next week; overflow recyclables should be placed in a cardboard box or clearly-marked container next to the recycling cart on the resident’s next regular service day. Do not put overflow recyclables in a plastic bag, as the bags are not recyclable and can damage the sorting equipment.

• The Knoxville Fire Department’s Quick Response Vehicle (QRVs) teams using 4-wheel-drive vehicles are responding to several hundred calls a day. The QRVs are used to get to hard-to-access homes where residents are experiencing medical emergencies.


NON-EMERGENCY ISSUES


To report non-emergency issues needing attention, or to request non-emergency services, contact the 3-1-1 Center. For fastest and easiest access, use the My Knoxville app or go to www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/311.


MORE INFORMATION


Updates will be posted throughout the day on City social media sites.

• Facebook.com/CityofKnoxville
• Twitter.com/CityKnoxvilleTN
• Instagram.com/KnoxvilleCity