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Overview
This division of the Maintenance and Operations Department works to keep the city clean and safe for everyone. The division is crucial to the operation of the city
 Winter Plowing
Anchorage receives an average of seventy inches of snowfall per year. The street maintenance division clears snow from Anchorage roadways as soon as possible. Their goal is to have the snow cleared from the 1250 miles of road in Anchorage 72 hours after the end of a major snowfall. In Anchorage, five different types of machines are used to clear snow from the roads. Graders initially clear the snow from most roadways. Sanders distribute sand on roads, especially near intersections, to make stopping and starting easier. Loaders help remove snow from cul-de-sac’s once it becomes piled in the middle. Blowers (pictured below, right) remove the snowberms created when the graders plow the roads. Chemical de-icing trucks (pictured above, left) are used in downtown. All five types of equipment are very dangerous and care must be taken when they are nearby.
Snowplow Safety
A few simple guidelines will keep you safe from snowplows. The plows are all big and the operator has limited visibility. Always stay at least fifty feet away (especially when driving) from the back of a snowplow and as far away as possible on the other three sides. If you are playing in your yard when a snowplow comes by, take a break and give the operator of the plow a wave. Avoid playing in the snow nearest to the street. Never tunnel in the snow in the front yard. Tunneling can hide you from the plow operator. If a blower is coming down your street, he will remove a lot of the snowberm and blow it into trucks. Never play in, under, on, or around the snowberms as the plow operator may not be able to see you. In general, backyards are a much safer place to play. Below is a simple acronym for remembering the main points of snowplow safety.
S Stay back fifty feet
N Never tunnel in a snowberm
O Off the street for play
W Wave to the operator
Park and Trail Maintenance
This division also maintains all of the parks, trails, and municipal sports fields in the city. Over 200 miles of trails are plowed every winter and more than 200 parks are cared for every summer. This department works closely with Parks and Recreation in this respect. If you are interested in volunteering to keep the parks clean, visit the Parks and Recreation section.
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