SnowBuddy - (734) 996-7360

We're a nonprofit service run by volunteers, advocating for linear sidewalk snow maintenance and practicing what we preach.

We believe the sidewalk is a transportation corridor which only functions well when maintained in its entirety.

We believe property owners are unfairly assigned winter shoveling of sidewalks, which are fundamentally public rights-of-way more appropriately maintained as linear pathways.

We believe city government may be best positioned for this task and are acting to encourage city representatives to regard the sidewalk as a transportation corridor, and to investigate whether citizens might support the cost of city-wide winter sidewalk maintenance.

As a first step, we urge City Council to order a study of costs that would be involved, so citizens can make an informed decision about the value of city-wide sidewalk snow removal.

In the absence of another entity taking responsibility, we use commercial-grade machinery and volunteer labor to provide pedestrian and disabled neighbors safe pathways as they travel to work, to school, to shop, to walk their dogs, to exercise, to venture around the block or around the town.

Our standard is to facilitate safe and enjoyable mobility for the most challenged among us. If we accomplish that we know it will be good for everyone.

Funding for SnowBuddy is modeled on a public radio station. Everyone in the neighborhood gets their walk cleared whether they donate or not, with enough neighbors contributing to keep us going.

Donors contribute online at www.snowbuddy.org or by sending a check written to "SnowBuddy" to PO Box 7217, Ann Arbor, MI 48107.

We estimate our average expense for clearing a home's sidewalk at less than $2 per snowfall.

SnowBuddy began operations in the Water Hill neighborhood of Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 21st, 2014, the first day of winter.

Tags: Neighborhood,Public Transportation