Mayor Ray O’Connell is declaring a Snow Emergency in the City of Allentown effective at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
By ordinance, a “snow emergency,” requires owners to remove their vehicles from posted routes. Signs are posted on snow emergency routes, which are also published on the city website, www.allentownpa.gov.
City Public Works Director Craig Messinger warns that vehicles left on designated routes during a snow emergency will be ticketed and towed. Parking is prohibited on the routes until the emergency is officially lifted. Residents should also go to the city website or avail themselves of local news media sources to learn when the snow emergency is lifted.
City residents are advised to wait until plows have been down their street before shoveling driveways and are asked to avoid throwing snow back onto the streets.
The Allentown Parking Authority is making two of its decks available for free parking for residents beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 through 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 18, 2020:
Spiral Deck (on Linden between Eighth & Ninth)
Arena North Deck (712 W. Linden)
Should those decks be full, Authority personnel will direct drivers to the next available deck.
Parking will also be available in two Allentown School District Parking Decks:
18th & Turner Parking Deck
Saint Cloud & Liberty Parking Deck
The Allentown Fairgrounds parking lot will also be available beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Motorists are asked to enter at Gate 8 on Liberty Street.
According to Messinger, plows and salt spreaders are mounted on some 50 trucks to make traveling in the city as safe as possible.
Motorists are urged to stay off the roadways as travel will be treacherous during this storm.
Messinger said, “We ask that the public please refrain from throwing snow into the street. We ask for your patience and cooperation to allow our crews to do their jobs.”
Plows will operate day and night working to keep main arteries open and then shifting to secondary roads and alleys. The city has more than 440 miles of roadway that consists of about 1,500 lane miles that need to be cleared.
The city has an ample supply of road salt and anti-skid material.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
Information on snow removal operations will be available at Snow Operations (allentownpa.gov). The city’s “Snow Operations Hotline” will be staffed throughout the Snow Emergency at 610-437-7669.
Please do not call 9-1-1 unless it is an emergency. Do not call 9-1-1 because your street has not been plowed. Contact 610-437-7669 for updates on snow plowing activity in your neighborhood.
Waste Management Wednesday night garbage collection in the city is cancelled.
--30--