Little Rock has again proven its strength and resilience as we weathered a severe winter storm that brought significant sleet and snow accumulation and prolonged frigid temperatures. Our Public Works Department crews began working 24 hours a day on Friday, Jan. 23, and these teams have not stopped, despite challenging conditions.
Our plows have covered more than 1,000 miles of roads during this event, many of them repeatedly because of the heavy, packed ice coating our streets. The combination of several inches of sleet falling at two separate times made plowing more difficult. Nearly a week of temperatures at or below freezing left little opportunity for melting. Fortunately, City of Little Rock crews had our designated snow routes and main roads cleared early last week, and they continue to focus on our iciest neighborhood streets. We will plow until every street is cleared.
We are grateful to the men and women of our Public Works Department serving our residents, as well as team members in our Fleet Department that are keeping our vehicles operational and effective.
The Public Works team is also responsible for residential trash collection, which is back on its normal schedule today. Crews worked overtime Friday and Saturday to finish Friday’s pickup. Residents whose service was missed last week may place any additional bags curbside on their normal collection days this week. Those who missed recycling pickups can place extra recyclable materials in cardboard boxes next to their recycling carts on their next scheduled service day.
We also share our appreciation to our first responders in the Little Rock Police Department, Fire Department, 911 Communications and MEMS for their commitment to keeping our residents and guests safe, and to our Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs, Parks Department and other city employees that assisted in the operation of our temporary, emergency cold-weather shelter. We operated our shelter at Dunbar Community Center for 10 consecutive nights, providing meals and a warm, safe place to stay for our unsheltered residents.
Our Little Rock Animal Village team came to work every day to support the animals in their care, and the Little Rock Zoo staff kept their animals and facilities safe, while providing enrichment activities for many of the animals.
We are proud of friends and neighbors who make up the City of Little Rock team, and we appreciate all our residents for their patience and perseverance during the recent inclement weather.