AURORA, Colo. — What a difference a day makes.
Less than 24 hours after the biggest snowstorm in more than a year hit the Denver metro area, many main streets are dry and clear.
“Yeah, yeah. They do a good job, definitely. They’re on it pretty good,” John Eldredge said as he was out shoveling a sidewalk in Aurora.
That city’s public works department had 36 snowplows out for most of Sunday, then added three more because the snow kept falling and blowing late in the day.
Those trucks plowed and deiced what the city classifies as red and blue streets first, then Monday, made their way to green ones.
Aurora’s trucks don’t plow some neighborhood streets, but the goal is for streets to be clear within two to three blocks of most people’s homes.
Some sidewalks, including areas near city bus stops, were not that clear, though.
“They could do a better job by shoveling more and on the roads, especially where the bus stops are,” said Rosie Perez, who was waiting for a bus. “You can see, there’s nothing being done right here.”
Denver Public Works had all 70 big snowplows on the streets at 4 a.m. Sunday, just as the snow started falling. It also deployed 36 pickup truck plows on side streets.
“With this storm, we saw a lot of deeper accumulation,” Denver Public Works spokeswoman Heather Burke said. “So, in this case, they did help make a difference on those side streets and make them passable.”
The side street plows make one pass and do not drop any deicer.
“I think they did a superb job,” said Jim Johnson as he looked out from his home near Washington Park.