Foot‑Deep Snow Leaves Streets Icy While Temperatures Remain Below Freezing A winter storm deposited roughly one foot of snow across Columbus over the weekend, leaving ice on road surfaces despite crews clearing major routes; Franklin County continues to enforce a Level 1 Snow Emergency, urging cautious driving and reduced phone use while 311 monitors reports [1].

Mayor Authorizes Extra Funding to Accelerate Private Snow‑Removal Efforts Mayor Andrew Ginther signed an emergency order allocating $100,000 to contract private snow‑removal firms, aiming to supplement municipal crews and speed snow hauling and plowing citywide [1].

Downtown Hauling Plan Activated First Time Since 2008 to Free Arterial Streets Division of Infrastructure Management administrator Scott Tourville announced a central‑lane plowing tactic that creates a middle lane for dump trucks, transporting snow to an asphalt lot at McCoy Park with assistance from Franklin County drivers; this strategy targets priority‑1 arterial roads before moving to priority‑2 and ‑3 neighborhoods [2].

Snow‑Hauling Progress Projected to Remove Up to 40,000 Cubic Yards Within 36 Hours Tourville reported downtown snow piles are being reduced and expects the city to clear up to 40,000 cubic yards of snow by the end of the operation, with priority‑2 and ‑3 streets slated for clearing over the next day‑and‑a‑half [1].

Accident Involving Snowplow Highlights Ongoing Safety Risks A crew vehicle was struck by a snowplow near Easton Town Center, injuring a crew member who was later discharged; residents also voiced concerns about middle‑lane snow piles causing vehicles to become stuck and creating pedestrian anxiety [1][2].