The Anchorage School District decided the roads are not safe enough to have everyone trying to get to school on Wednesday, and thus another “snow day” has been called for Anchorage schools.
Mayor Dave Bronson of Anchorage expressed his disappointment about the school closures in a press release: “I’m really disappointed that schools will be closed for another day. Street maintenance crews have been working 24/7 to get the roads cleared after a week of record-breaking snowfall. We are in constant communication with ASD throughout the day and provide them with frequent updates on the snowplowing operations. Ultimately, it is their decision, and we will continue working to get residential areas cleared so schools can open again, and buses can transport students safely.”
On Tuesday night, more than 1,440 customers in the Mat-Su Valley were without power. All 911 lines were down in the Mat-Su and people were asked to phone in emergencies to 907-459-6800.
In just five days, Anchorage has received about half of the amount of snow that it gets on average during an entire winter. On Wednesday, expected high wind and snow mixed with rain could mean more downed trees and another round of power outages for Anchorage.
Although most of the power is on in Anchorage, that may change when the 25-mph wind arrives.
As of Tuesday, Anchorage street maintenance crews had hauled approximately 3,000 loads of snow in five days. During an average winter, crews haul about 6,000 loads for the entire season.
The city is responsible for snowplowing 1,281 miles of roadways and approximately 200 miles of sidewalks and trails. The city’s arterial roads are plowed first, then collector roads, and then residential areas.
The municipality has also started to help clear some of the state-maintained roads in Anchorage, as the Alaska Department of Transportation was not able to keep up.
