Borough works to clear roads from recent snowfalls

The National Weather Service predicted it. The weather apps on our phones did too. The Mat-Su Borough was in for a snow storm-the third in a week. Nerves that were already frazzled and frayed from all of the snow

So it was a surprise to no one to have to wake up Thursday morning to snow. Kids home from school, participating in remote learning. The shovels and snow blowers in use again-but did anyone really put them away, or just keep them on stand-by?

And definitely no rest for the weary plow drivers, many of whom had been running nearly non-stop to clear the snow and preparing for the snow, and would be back in the fray, trying to clear snow, even as space to put it runs low.

One person who knows full well the enormous undertaking of trying to sustain the Borough through the recent snow events is Mat-Su Borough Manager Mike Brown. Part of his responsibilities include the ultimate responsibility and authority for the well-functioning of the Borough. This includes direction of all Borough Employees, except for the Clerk’s and Attorney’s offices.

As far as the road clearing and snow removal, Brown and the Mat-Su Borough contracts out road maintenance for the 16 road service areas and over 1,200 road miles the Borough maintains.

He is aware that residents are anxious for the roads to be cleared, but he is most concerned with safety first.

“The primary focus is the safe travel of roads and crews are working around the clock. We are experiencing a number of snow berm complaints in driveways due to plowing and will continue to work to correct issues where they arise,” said Brown.

As most can guess, private snow removal companies are experiencing an unprecedented backlog, with many posting that services could take weeks.

Now that the snow has tapered off, Brown says the weather will help road clearing operations.

“We are continually monitoring conditions and are encouraged that the National Weather Service is projecting a prolonged period of dry conditions once the current system passes through the area. A break in precipitation will allow for road widening and general clean-up.”

He also asks for the Alaskan spirit of helping each other out when dealing with the feet of snow the area has received over the past 10 days, which range from 1 to nearly 3 feet in some areas, if not more.

“We also encourage neighbors helping neighbors, particularly for those that may not have the physical capacity to remove snow from their private property. I have heard a number of great examples of folks helping out one another in the past few days.”

For residents needing to reach out for assistance, Brown wants people to try and utilize the MSB Problem Reporter app as a means to report maintenance issues they see on Borough roads and right-of-ways to assist in timely fixes. There is also a dashboard that allows individuals to stay informed about issue resolutions in their area.

“We encourage residents to use the MSB Problem Reporter app, www.problemreporter.matsugov.us, as this is the most efficient way to report issues requiring resolution. The Problem Reporter app also shows which entity owns maintenance responsibilities (State, Borough or city).”