Minnesotans Work To Clear Icy Streets, Sidewalks

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Falling from Rich Alme's hands are small sprinkles of safety. On a day when driveways became ice rinks, a little salt can go a long way.

On Alme's block in Golden Valley, just about every home had a layer of ice coating the pavement leading up to the garage, making for a slippery trip toward the front door. It's just one of the many side effects of a night filled with freezing rain and falling temperatures across the Metro.

After a few near falls, we slid our way to Mills Fleet Farm in Brooklyn Park in search of some traction. Shopper Ken Weiss also found himself unexpectedly ice skating Monday, so he bought some ice cleats.

"I just couldn't stop," he said of his attempted walk across his driveway.

He already had salt at home, which is good because the store he was in ran out Monday afternoon. A manager said they quickly put in another order of salt which they're expecting to arrive Tuesday morning.

Another business nearby, Luther Collision and Glass Repair, was also quite busy.

"A lot of unexpected drop-offs, lot of people coming in looking for estimates right away from accidents that just happened," said estimator Joe Marnich.

The shop was already packed because of crashes from last week's dangerous winter weather. Add in a night of freezing rain, and their phones will ring nonstop.

Marnich said they can typically take appointments on the same day or the next. Due to the rush of customers, however, they're booking appointments three days out.

Car repairs can be costly, but at least in Minneapolis, you can get sand to clear ice on your property for free. The city's public works departments have a sand/salt mix available, they just ask people to bring their own shoves and buckets.

Ron Wells was happy to oblige.

"This is a godsend because I'm a senior citizen and I share a house with two other individuals, and we're senior citizens, and God knows we don't want to fall," Wells said.

The locations offering sand are:

6036 Harriet Ave. S.
1809 Washington St. NE
E. 27th Street, just east of Longfellow Avenue near the Public Works gate
2710 Pacific St.