By City Ordinance #17-2 residents are responsible to keep sidewalks cleared of snow and free of ice. However, by decision of the City Council, the Public Works Department does plow major snows from sidewalks as time allows with sidewalks close to schools getting first priority.

Locations

The City of Blaine has 95 miles of sidewalks and 60 miles of maintained trails under its jurisdiction. These sidewalks and trails connect the pedestrian and bicycle users throughout the community.

Trails are identified on the city park and recreation trail map and are also included on the Anoka County Regional Trail system. These bituminous trails transverse through neighborhood parks and are adjacent to many city and county collector streets.

Priority Timeline

The neighborhood trails provide a means for residents and school children to walk to school in areas that do not have sidewalks. These trails and the sidewalks that are traveled regularly by school children will receive a higher level of service than outlying trails that receive lesser or recreational use by the public.

Sidewalks along the collector streets and sidewalks, serving public facilities, and shall be cleared by city forces in conjunction with normal operations with consideration of personnel available, starting time of operations and duration of the storm. There may be times during the winter when some lower priority trails will remain snow and ice covered.

If the duration of a storm or several consecutive storms prevents completion of snow removal operations of all infrastructures, highest priority trails and sidewalks will receive service prior to the lower priority ones which may be in lower populated areas.

Pedestrian Safety

During the winter, periods of freeze/thaw and winter rain events, trails and sidewalks may become ice coated. Thawing snow and rain will sheet drain across the surface and will freeze since it cannot drain through the snow banks on both sides.

The city does not apply deicers or abrasives on the trails and sidewalks as it is cost prohibited and would cause damage to the landscapes. Pedestrians should use caution when walking on trails and sidewalks under these conditions.