MILWAUKEE — According to AAA, more than two million Wisconsinites are going to head out of town for the holiday weekend. And whether you're one of them or not, you could face consequences in Milwaukee if you don't clear snow and ice from your sidewalk.
"I start with the snowblower," said Erik Lomas, as he described his go-to tactic for removing snow.
"I part a line down the middle of the driveway and then I pretty much keep the shoot pointed in one direction."
Lomas is ready to clear his sidewalk and potentially dozens of others. This is the third year he's offering snow removal services through the app 'Task Rabbit'.
Milwaukee city ordinance says sidewalks must be clear of snow and ice 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling. Violate that, and you can get a $50 fine. If you still fail to get out a shovel, the city will assign a contractor to clean it up and you will be stuck with the bill. That could pose a problem for people who are traveling and plan to be away from home when the winter storm hits Milwaukee this holiday weekend.
"We have a person who comes by and they plow the driveway and they shovel our sidewalk," said Mike and Terri Weidenbaum.
The couple will be spending the next couple of weeks in sunny Arizona, but they've got snow on the brain. A few years ago the Weidenbaums returned from a trip to find a ton of snow and ice dams on the roof of their home.
"We had to have everything redone," explained Terri. "The carpet had to be ripped up, the floor had to be ripped up, the walls had to be redone. It wasn't pleasant."
Now they have a plan, and a backup plan, to make sure snow is removed quickly from their sidewalk, driveway, and home — so they don't risk repeating that experience.
