Public Works
Streets & Highways
Shop

The Public Works Shop functions include supply and materials management; operation of pathological incinerator; coordination of vehicle services; repair of light equipment and small tools; and coordination of after hour on-call services.

• Deceased animal removal
  
  Personnel will remove a deceased animal from any City right of way in timely and respectful manner 24 hours a day. The Shop maintains a pathological incinerator daily. If you have an animal that has passed please place it in plastic bag and put in on the curb (right of way).
  
  To report a deceased animal to be picked up, please call 393-8666 weekdays from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and our dispatcher will be glad to assist you. After 4:00 PM weekdays and on weekends, please contact 911 and the Police dispatcher will contact our on-call personnel.
  

• Guardrail replacement
  
  Shop crews respond to calls on any City street to repair and replace any damaged City owned guardrail.
  

• Snow removal
  
  Snow removal plays an important role in the winter duties for the Shop. In September of every year, the Shops starts readying the City snow equipment to be in good working condition for our unpredictable weather in Portsmouth. Shop crews coordinate the Public Works snow detail and provide annual updates to the City of Portsmouth Snow Manual.
  
  At the first sign of news that snow and ice are on the way, Public Works employees are ready to spread salt and sand and plow roads. Crews work in 12 hour shifts. Bridges and overpasses are addressed first. Next, crews proceed to the main arteries of the City. As the weather clears, crews move onto the secondary streets.
  
  Each truck has a snow route map to follow, and each area has a supervisor that examines the area for heavy buildups of snow and ice. The supervisor will dispatch a truck to such an area when encountered. The Police Department provides additional assistance in reporting these areas.
  
  In severe weather, unless there is an emergency please stay off the roads and show our driver courtesy. Residents should understand that snow removal is a public safety initiative. It is not intended to provide convenient road conditions for everyone to travel everywhere within the City of Portsmouth.
  

• Hurricanes/Flooding/Severe Weather
  
  At the first report of severe weather, the Public Works Shop prepares to fill sandbags before and after the event. After these events subside, Shops crews assist the City’s cleanup efforts by helping to remove fallen trees on City property and streets. 

Did You Know?

• It is illegal to place basketball goals on City streets and in the right of way.
  

• Public Works provides on-call personnel for emergencies 24 hours a day. On-call personnel are contacted through Police Dispatch. In FY 05-06, Public Works provided over 185 hours of after hours, emergency on-call response.
  

• By City Code, it is the responsibility of property owners and occupants to clear sidewalks of snow adjacent to their property. Property owners should not clear snow from parking lots and driveways onto City streets.
  

• The City of Portsmouth does not routinely plow residential streets. Public Works does not take individual requests for snow removal.
  

• In the 2006 calendar year, Public Works responded to over 1900 calls for deceased animal pick up.

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