FLASHBACK: What Happened To Car-Free 'Snow Routes' - And Could They Have Helped City Clear the Streets? - Streetsblog New York City

"New York City's prolonged difficulty in clearing streets and sidewalks after the Jan. 25 winter storm may have its roots in a car-first policy enacted by the Bloomberg administration that allows drivers to leave their private vehicles on public streets that can't be properly plowed as a result. For decades, thousands of red signs (right) designated major roadways as "snow routes," where drivers could neither park nor stand during declared snow emergencies."

"The snow route system worked for more than 50 years, though true "emergencies" were rare. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani declared the last one in December 2000 from the city's emergency bunker in the (former) World Trade Center and ordered tow trucks to remove cars from the designated routes. But in 2013, during the final stretch of Michael Bloomberg's tenure, the city quietly removed every last snow route sign and abandoned the idea of snow routes altogether."

"The Department of Transportation, which manages street signs and is theoretically in charge of declaring snow emergencies, confirmed that the city no longer uses snow routes. A DOT official added that the department removed the signs more than a decade ago "because it was determined that having drivers scramble to move vehicles ahead of an advancing snowstorm wasn't necessary, nor productive for snow removal efforts." The official declined to clarify who made this driver-friendly determination, and on what basis."

New York City abandoned a decades-old snow route system in 2013, removing thousands of red signs that once banned parking and standing on designated thoroughfares during declared snow emergencies. The snow-route policy had been used since 1961 and was last invoked in December 2000 when vehicles were towed to clear major arteries. City agencies now confirm that the signs are gone and say the change reflected evolving streetscapes and improved equipment. Officials claimed moving cars ahead of storms was unnecessary and not productive for snow removal, while sanitation staff said the routes had become unnecessary.

Read at Streetsblog