Editorial: Storm response

Congratulations to city officials and workers for a well-run response to last week’s snowstorm.

The city of Lawrence is receiving well-deserved praise for its quick and efficient response to the storm that dropped more than a foot of snow on the city last week.

Light snow continued to fall into the early morning hours on Wednesday, but major streets in the city were cleared and ready for traffic by the time most people were heading to work that day. Residential streets took a little longer, but the city reported that all Lawrence streets had been plowed by Thursday morning. In addition to the street crews, parks and recreation employees also were working around the clock shoveling city sidewalks and clearing parking lots.

Despite the storm, city trash collectors were able to complete their appointed rounds throughout the week. City officials also provided timely updates on road conditions as well as on the closure of city hall and municipal court offices and the cancellation of parks and recreation classes and events.

Lawrence residents deserve kudos for being smart about the storm and not venturing out unless it was absolutely necessary. Business owners also put in lots of extra effort to keep parking lots and sidewalks clear and safe.

The fact that Lawrence weathered the unusually intense storm with no serious accidents or injuries is a tribute to the city’s preparation as well as some wise individual decisions. Lawrence is more accustomed to snow storms than Atlanta, but the local response still was a refreshing contrast to the fiasco triggered in that city by a recent 2-inch snowfall.

The city has set a high standard to live up to in future snow events. Now if crews could just figure out a way to plow streets without dumping a ridge of crusty snow and ice at the end of everyone’s driveways!