When will my road be plowed?

• Snow Plowing and/or ice control operations shall commence under the direction of the Public Works Director and City Administrator. In his absence, the Director’s designated representative will confer with the Director or City Administrator to determine when and where operations will begin in accordance with the following criteria:
  • Snow accumulation of 2-inches or more;
  • Drifting of snow that causes problems for travel;
  • Icy conditions which seriously affect travel; and,
  • Time of snowfall in relationship to heavy use of streets (i.e. weekday a.m. and p.m. commuter periods).
• Snow and ice control operations are expensive and involve the use of limited personnel and equipment. Consequently snowplowing operations will not generally be conducted for snowfall of less than 1 inch.

Snow will be plowed in a manner so as to provide access as soon as possible and to minimize any traffic obstructions. The center of the roadway will be plowed first. The snow shall then be pushed from left to right. The discharge shall go onto the boulevard area of the right-of- way. Streets and cul-de-sacs are initially plowed with a single pass to open all routes as soon as possible. It is the Public Works Department’s goal to have the entire street system cleaned after a “typical” snowfall in approximately 24 hours. Depending on snowfall conditions and duration of the storm, streets will not always immediately be able to be completely cleared of snow.

Generally, operations will continue until all routes are passable. Widening and cleanup operations may continue immediately or on the following work day depending on conditions and circumstances. Safety of the plow operators and the public is important. Therefore, snowplowing/removal operations may be terminated after 10-12 hours to allow personnel adequate time for rest. There may be instances where this is not possible depending on storm conditions and other circumstances. Operations may also be suspended during periods of limited visibility, significant winds or severe cold so as to not jeopardize the safety of city employees and equipment. Any decision to suspend operations shall be made by the Public Works Director and City Administrator based on the conditions of the storm. The City will still provide access for emergency fire, police and medical services on an “as-needed” basis during a major snow or ice storm.