North Dakota residents struggle to find more room for snow piles

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - With more than 82 inches of snow this season in Bismarck, it can be hard to find places to put it all.

By the end of the week, there will be a symphony of snow blowers, shovels and scrapers sounding off again.

“I’m having a lot of trouble finding where to put it because I don’t have very much room to put any more snow,” said Steven Schneider of Bismarck.

Residents aren’t the only ones struggling to find new areas to put the snow. Bismarck Public Works has been trying to widen streets. It isn’t an easy job because there are already piles towering over both sides of the road.

“The first two snowstorms we had dumped so much at one time and then the wind blew and it just stacked it on top of each other. So for us to go out and try to widen it we are going to end up pushing a lot of snow on people’s boulevards and on their sidewalks and on their driveways,” said Public Works Crew Leader Chad Schiermeister.

The large mountains cause more problems than just cramping curb appeal. Many motorists are having trouble finding parking on the streets, and if they can find a spot, cars and trucks block the view of those trying to turn onto the road.

“It’s stressful. You try to get everything clean and then all of a sudden it snows right back and you have to do it all over again,” said Schneider.

The snowiest winter was the 1996 to 1997 season with a whopping 101.6 inches of snow in Bismarck, and the capital city is only 19.5 inches from breaking that record this season.