Ideally, when cleaning up the entire city, plow trucks start at 2 a.m. Pickups and loaders that clear cul-de-sacs, dead ends and parking lots start between 2 – 3 a.m. Sidewalk machines start between 4 – 5 a.m.
That said, plow timing is entirely dependent on when the snow accumulation starts to taper off, balanced with the the timing of morning rush hour. Snowfalls that do not end overnight or in the early morning can change the entire schedule.
The city sends plows DURING a snow event to try and keep main roads passable.
Salt request locations will be checked as part of the normal checks of major roads and hills.
Major roadways and hills are top priority for addressing ice conditions. The city has a limited
salt supply and budget available. Cul‐de‐sacs have very low traffic volumes and low speeds, and
are therefore a lower priority.
After large or multiple snow events, where the snow banks are quite high on streets
throughout the City, equipment is sent out to push back snow piles when needed.
When plowing, snow is pushed from the center of the road to the side of the road. It is
unlikely that a plow pushed it into the road. The city appreciates residents keeping their
garbage carts out of the roadways and a few feet behind the curb.
Trash and recycling carts need to be placed off the street and behind the curb on collection
day. The city is not responsible for damaged garbage/recycling carts. Call your hauler for a
replacement cart if needed.
Residents cannot plow city streets.
Snowplow trucks generally operate below 20 miles per hour while plowing residential
streets. Due to the size of the truck and the noise of the engine, the trucks can appear to be
traveling faster than they are.
Operators will not lift or turn their plow at the ends of driveways. Doing so would leave a
large pile of snow in the road, and turning the plow for every driveway is not feasible.
To effectively plow the cul‐de‐sac, snow is pushed to the nearest curb. Cul‐de‐sacs have
limited space for snow storage and it is a challenge to avoid driveways, mailboxes and fire
hydrants.
During snow events, the focus is on main roads and hills. After a snowfall of 1.5 inches, all
city streets will be plowed curb to curb. It is unlikely a road would be intentionally missed. If
you think your street has been missed, please contact the Streets Superintendent. With warmer
temperatures and melting snow pack, it may turn slushy. Some residents may see the slush and
think the road has not been plowed.
A full snow plowing cleanup operation typically starts as soon as the snowfall has ended.
When weather cooperates, crews will try and start early in the morning to complete most
streets by 8 am.
The street is plowed by pushing the snow from the street to the side. The operator has very
little control over how much snow is deposited at the end of driveways.
The city will conduct a review of each mailbox incident to determine whether a snowplow
came into direct contact with it or its support structure. The city will only repair mailboxes
actually hit by a snowplow and install it to United States Postal Service Residential Mailbox
Standards. The city is not responsible for damage to mailboxes or support posts caused by snow
or ice contacting the mailbox.
Based on the city’s review, the city will repair the mailbox to an operational state. If the mailbox
cannot be adequately repaired, the city will replace it with a standard size, non‐decorative
metal mailbox. The city may also replace the support post as necessary with a 4” x 4” decay-resistant
wood support post, if necessary. Dents, scratches, or other superficial damage that
does not prohibit normal use of the mailbox will be considered normal wear and tear and will
not be repaired or replaced by the city.
The property will be added to a list of repairs. Crews will restore damaged turf in the spring
with dirt and seed. Property owners are responsible for watering, if needed.
The city has six plow trucks, two sidewalk plows and six pieces of various equipment for
plowing cul‐de‐sacs, dead ends, parking lots and trails.