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Some Sidewalks Left Covered After Winter Storm

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As the sun shined in Nashville on Monday, the snow slowly began to melt, and walking and driving became easier throughout Middle Tennessee.

While many drivers didn't notice a change to driving conditions, those on foot noticed the snow and ice started to melt, and slush and water began to take over. 

"it's very slick, you have to be careful." Dawn McKinney said. 

In the Metro Nashville area, the responsibility of clearing the sidewalks does not fall on one department, but rather on multiple individuals and departments alike.

According to Metro codes, it's the responsibility and duty of every homeowner or business owner on a public street to remove snow from the sidewalk in front of their home or business. If a business or homeowner fails to do so, they could be liable for any injures that happen on that stretch of sidewalk. 

To view the full code click here.

In areas of downtown, the building/business owners are responsible for clearing the sidewalks, but on downtown bridges, that responsibility falls to the city. 

Over the weekend and on Monday, numerous people avoided the sidewalks on bridges from East Nashville into downtown and walked on the roadway filled with traffic instead. 

When News Channel 5 reached out to Metro Public Works about the the sidewalks on bridges, the department said they were aware that this was an issue, but during the weekend they were focused on making major roadways safe, and they planned to clear the bridge sidewalks of snow, ice, and slush as soon as they were able.