If you’re waking up with Punxsutawney Phil for Groundhog Day, be sure to move your car off the street; the City of Battle Creek will declare a snow emergency starting at 6 a.m. tomorrow – Wednesday, Feb. 2.
In a snow emergency, parking on all city streets is prohibited, so our snow plow crews can clear roads as quickly and completely as possible.
This snow emergency is in effect until further notice. We will send more information when we believe it is safe to lift the emergency. As of this afternoon, the National Weather Service out of Grand Rapids was forecasting 7-12” of snow for Battle Creek over Wednesday and Thursday.
- Neighbors parked on the streets will have 24 hours to move their vehicles – until 6 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 3. After that, Battle Creek Police will work to make contact with the registered owners of vehicles still on the streets. Police will have vehicles towed as a last resort.
- City buildings will close at noon on Wednesday, and remain closed Thursday and Friday. We will have staff working remotely when possible, so neighbors will be able to complete much of their city business online and by phone. You can start at 269-966-3311 or battlecreekmi.gov.
- Battle Creek Transit will begin Wednesday running their regular bus routes. As the weather worsens, they will detour buses to only operate on main roads, not traveling on neighborhood streets (more information on this below). There is not a set time yet for when the switch will happen, so please watch our city messaging sources. You can sign up for Transit-specific alerts at battlecreekmi.gov/notifyme, in the Alert Center category. For help planning your trip, call Transit at 269-966-3474.
- As of this writing, Tele-Transit and BCGo trips will happen as scheduled. If this changes, Transit will reach out to those riders.
- Republic Services will work with our Public Works team to run their regular garbage and recycling routes. At this time, please put your carts out on your regular day. Make sure you place your carts/bags up on the curb, and/or off the street.
- If Republic must change course because of the weather, please watch local media, the city’s website and social media, and our alert systems for updates.
- To receive various alerts, text BCALERTS to 844-673-7474 to opt in (phone plan fees may apply).
- To receive garbage/recycling-specific alerts, visit battlecreekmi.gov/notifyme and sign up for email and/or text alerts under the Alert Center category.
Please remember that state routes and major roads are the first priority for snow plowing. We have crews working 24 hours over the next few days, and they will move back and forth between major streets and neighborhood streets as much as necessary.
Expect that roads will be covered in snow until this storm leaves the area, and our plow crews can catch up. We appreciate everyone’s patience and contributions to keeping the community safe through this winter weather.
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Battle Creek Transit main road listing by route (once buses begin severe weather detour) –
- 1W West Michigan – Bus will run on West Michigan Avenue to Family Farm and Home, then return inbound.
- 2E Emmett/East Avenue – Bus will run McCamly to North Avenue to Emmett. Bus will service Bronson Battle Creek Hospital.
- 2W Columbia/Territorial – Heading outbound, bus will run Meachem to Capital SW to Columbia, turning around at Meijer and heading inbound to Riverside Drive. Bus will service the 20th Street plaza and Meijer.
- 3E Main/Post – Bus will travel outbound as typical. Hamblin to Main Street, turning left on Cliff Street, going all the way to Columbia, then taking a right, traveling back to Main Street coming inbound.
- 3W Kendall/Goodale – Washington to Goodale to North Avenue. Bus will not service Springview Tower, or the Redner and Coolidge neighborhoods.
- 4S SW Capital – Regular route. Bus will service both Meijer and Walmart.
- 4N NE Capital – Bus will run NE Capital Avenue. Bus will not service Cherry Hill Manor.
- 5W Fort Custer/VA – Regular route. Bus will not service Liberty Commons.