Snow's not gone, but school's back on, with some delays

School is back in session today for the city's public and parochial school students, who enjoyed a snow day off yesterday as city workers continued to clear roadways throughout the city.

The city's Streets Department ended a snow emergency and kept plow trucks busy on the first workday after Philadelphia's second-biggest snowstorm on record blanketed the city with 23.2 inches of the white stuff.

Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson said that crews plowed 2,300 of 2,598 miles of roadways, describing their efforts as "aggressive." The department deployed 230 highway and sanitation trucks yesterday to salt and plow streets, she said. More than 85 vehicles are dedicated to clearing just residential streets, the Mayor's Office said.

Despite the city's having made progress, Tolson urged Philadelphians to be patient and to pitch in.

"We need for our citizens to work in cooperation with us to plow sidewalks and walkways for students to access [them]," she said.

She cautioned residents not to illegally dump snow onto parking lots and streets, especially roadways that have been serviced, she said.

The department has begun ticketing those who have yet to clear a 30-inch path in the sidewalk in front of their building. Enforcement will first focus on blocks near schools, although the department will not ticket on blocks that have yet to be treated by the city.

Tolson said that some small streets hadn't been plowed due to parked cars' blocking streets or turns.

Any motorist whose vehicle was towed can call 215-686- SNOW to find out where it was taken.

As for getting to school, Tolson said that school buses shouldn't have a problem getting around.

The school district will provide its usual yellow-bus service, but advised parents to plan for delays in morning pick-up and afternoon drop-offs as a result of traffic conditions, district officials said yesterday.

All after-school activities and sporting events for today will go on as scheduled.