Chicago neighbors clear own street

CHICAGO, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- A Chicago man said he and his neighbors shoveled an emergency 100-foot path on his street in case his pregnant wife needs to go to the hospital.

John Lawrence, 27, said he decided not to wait for city snow removal crews because his wife, Rachel Lovell, is nine months pregnant and there would have been too much snow on the ground for their car to escape the street if they had attempted to go to the hospital before Thursday's four-hour shoveling session, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

"If she would have had to go to the hospital, we never would have made it," he said.

"It became pretty obvious that Webster, and that's a busy street, wasn't plowed. Why would they come plow Seeley," Lawrence said. "I had to get it done. You can't wait for the city to take care of you."

The Chicago Transit Authority said bus and Metra train services, which have been the subject of delays and cancellations since Tuesday's 20-inch snowfall, were back to normal Friday.