Though it can be hard to think back to the driving snow, harsh winds and sub-zero temperatures that marked Chicago's great Snowmaggedon of 2011 given the city's current heat, humidity and general sweat factor, a report released Monday by the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) laid out a series of suggestions for the city in dealing with future wintry calamities.
For those in need of a recap, more than 20 inches of snow fell over the course of only a few hours to jumpstart the city's February 1-2 blizzard, which the office described as "extraordinary" in their report. It was reportedly the city's third-largest snow storm on record as Chicago Public Schools closed their doors for the first time in 12 years and hundreds of cars on the city's Lake Shore Drive were stopped in their tracks. Many motorists were left stranded for several hours and the drive did not open until 33 hours later, as the Associated Press reported.
OEMC executive director Gary Schenkel described the city's response to the blizzard as a "fantastic" despite the unprecedented snowfall. Responding to questions concerning why Lake Shore Drive remained open so late into the storm, until well after rush hour, Schenkel stood by his predecessor Jose Santiago's decision, as quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times.
“We made the best decisions around-the-clock in order not to create, possibly what happened in 1999 where the entire place was gridlocked," he added.
The 12-page report, which was ordered by former Mayor Richard M. Daley, laid out recommendations for future snow emergencies focused largely on Lake Shore Drive including installing median cuts or vehicle outlets to allow vehicles on the drive to turn around and improving communications through installing additional surveillance cameras.
The blizzard cost the city of Chicago $37.3 million to recover from the blizzard, while the Sun-Times reported Tuesday that suburban Cook County spent only $372,000 to clean up.
Looking for a cool down? Revisit your chilly memories from the Groundhog's Day blizzard through the slideshow below:
