Chicago’s worst storm on record paralyzed the entire city and beyond. The area’s heavily-traveled Lake Shore Drive became a parking lot for snow-covered and stranded cars — around 900 of them. City officials are being criticized for not taking action to close the major thoroughfare before conditions became treacherous. Lake Shore Drive was not closed until 7:58 p.m. Tuesday after three crashes occurred. Conditions soon worsened after a string of additional accidents, leaving many motorists stuck in their vehicles for up to 12 hours.

Lincoln Park resident Julius Jellinek, who was trapped on Lake Shore Drive for six hours, called it “a disgrace” that the city took as long as it did to move cars blocking exit ramps. “There was absolutely no reason to hold us hostage,” he said. “With a little planning or a little thinking, they could take all of the cars off Lake Shore Drive, the ones that were stuck.” Aware of the complaints, [Mayor Daley’s Chief of Staff] Orozco took full responsibility for the timing of the Drive shutdown and apologized to the hundreds of motorists who were inconvenienced.

The apology:

And now, another video showing the road conditions.

It’s baffling to see one of the nation’s biggest cities so ill prepared for emergency situations. It reminds us of the post-Christmas snowstorm in New York City, when Mayor Bloomberg was heavily criticized for the city’s slow response to snow removal and other emergency situations. Cities like Chicago and New York should practice better risk management. There is no excuse.