Recently, New York City had over 20 inches of snow. While in the past, the snow may have melted quickly, coincidental freezing and sub-zero temperatures have prevented the snow from melting as of the time of writing. With Central Park recording its first sub-zero temperature and the city issuing its first “Extreme Cold Warning” since 2004, much of this snow still remained far past the day when it fell. So how does the city remove all of this snow? How does it ensure safe conditions for pedestrians and vehicles? The answer lies within a vast system of snowplows, salt trucks, chemical ice melt, and large-scale snow melters that work around the clock to ensure streets, sidewalks and transit routes stay accessible.

Preparations for snowfall can begin up to 48 hours before snowfall begins. During this process, two different things happen: First, trucks may spray a layer of liquid brine onto streets. This brine is made out of salt and water, with salt making up 23% of the contents. It creates a thin barrier on the surface of the asphalt and causes snow to turn to slush rather than becoming a virtually unmoveable block of ice. Second, salt trucks place a mixture of rock salt and liquid calcium chloride (which allows the salt to remain effective at lower temperatures) onto the ground. Traditional rock salt on its own loses much of its effectiveness when pavement reaches temperatures of 24 degrees Fahrenheit and completely loses its effectiveness around temperatures of 15 degrees. Calcium chloride, however, is much more powerful and remains effective to temperatures as low as –25 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because as it dissolves, it releases heat, which accelerates melting. As amazing as these measures are for keeping roads navigable, these measures can cause serious damage for our environment. When snow melts, the salt can deprive natural habitats of water and nutrients, rust cars, and pollute surrounding bodies of water. For example, just one teaspoon of salt can pollute five gallons of water. 

Another problem caused by the plowing is that snow often gets left in large piles, which can quickly turn to ice and become dirty. These piles grow to very large sizes and create hindrances for all people of the city. To tackle this problem, the city uses a fleet of eight snow melters, colloquially referred to as “hot tubs.” This year is the first time that they have been put to use since 2021, showing just how pressing this snowstorm is. However, the name “hot tub” is a little deceiving. The water in these trucks is kept at a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just above freezing. While this is relatively warm compared to outside temperatures, it sure isn’t a hot tub. Along with these “hot tubs,” front-loader construction vehicles are used to load the snow into trucks that melt the snow and release it into the city’s sewer systems. You will likely see these trucks being used along major roads such as major crosstown streets. 

When snow does fall, the city deploys its fleet of snow plows. Once two inches of snow have fallen, a whopping 2,200 plows (which is more than any other city in the USA) mobilize. These plows are attached to sanitation vehicles, such as garbage and salt trucks, and are usually the cause of that low rumbling you hear throughout snow days in NYC. Plows first target higher-priority roads, such as highways, major roads, and emergency routes, then move onto transit routes and, finally, local residential roads. However, this leads to another problem: The snow that is cleared off the road is simply pushed to the side, covering sidewalks. Plowing these crosswalks is the responsibility of the landlords on the block. It is required that they plow not only the sidewalk but also the crossing areas so that they’re at least four feet wide; failure to do that can be reported to the city by calling 311. However, persistent snowfall and plowing can lead to paths being covered after their creation and can make it difficult to walk around.

It is important to be informed about snow removal, because getting around the city during stormy winters can be especially tough. Knowing the stages of the cleanup can help you get around safer and faster. It is also important to know when the responsibility of something falls on you, someone else, or the city and when you can and should do something about it.