For Hub City Times

When snow starts to accumulate and ice begins to creep onto the concrete, keeping sidewalks clear becomes an important responsibility for the City of Marshfield and its residents.

Per Section 13-35 of the City of Marshfield Municipal Code, all property owners in the City of Marshfield are required to have all snow and ice removed from their sidewalks and curb ramps no later than 48 hours after snow or freezing rain has stopped falling.

Sidewalks must be shoveled “full length and full width,” meaning clearing more than just a shovel path.

Residents are also required to keep all drifting snow removed and all ice sprinkled with sand or salt at all time.

All property owners are also required to keep their curb ramps cleared along with their sidewalk areas. This mostly applies to corner residents, meaning they are responsible for the crosswalk portion of their sidewalk.

Failure to comply with these requirements will cause the city to clear any sidewalk or curb ramp that is not cleared without prior notice, and bill the responsible land owner. The forfeiture for noncompliance is $115 per incident for a sidewalk 200 feet or less in length, $130 per incident for any sidewalk 200 feet or more in length, and $65 per curb ramp. Downtown sidewalks are charged twice the corresponding amount.

Residents should note that because of the way the city billing cycle is structured, they might have several shoveling violations before receiving a bill.

By clearing sidewalks, residents are not only saving the cost of a fine, but protecting themselves from liability.

The city of Marshfield is responsible for 11 miles of city-owned sidewalks, for which the Marshfield Street Division maintains.  The Parks & Recreation department is responsible for all sidewalks bordering city parks, as well as 13 miles of bike trail system.

“We know the job of keeping sidewalks cleared is not an easy task and seems endless at times, but realize the importance of providing a safe means for pedestrian traffic for our city,” said Marshfield Street Superintendent Mike Winch.

For more information on snow removal, contact the Marshfield Street Division at 715-486-2081.