Streets

During a snowfall, the Street Maintenance Division’s first priority is to keep main streets, bridges and hills open, salted, and sanded. There are 12 ice control routes encompassing 85 miles of streets.

During heavy snow accumulation, the City will start plowing the main streets and will continue to re-plow these streets as many times as needed. As soon as the 16 primary snow routes (82 miles of main streets) are cleared curb to curb, plowing begins in the residential neighborhoods. The city is divided into 24 residential plow areas (255 miles of residential streets). Snowplows are dispatched to all neighborhoods at the same time. Plowing order within each route is rotated with each storm.

Snowplows operate around the clock until all city streets have been plowed curb to curb. This takes approximately 12 hours from the time a snowfall has ended. However, every storm is different. Heavy snowfall, icy conditions, high winds, snow showers which stop and start again, the time of day, and other factors can affect the length of time required to clear all streets. Current city policy is for residential streets to be plowed only after a 3" snowfall.


Whenever, in the opinion of the Director of Public Works or that person’s designee, an emergency exists in the city because of snow, freezing rain, sleet, or ice, an emergency can be declared for a period of 72 hours. Snow emergencies are declared between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and all local news media are notified. During declared snow emergencies, parking is not permitted on posted snow emergency routes until streets have been plowed curb to curb and it has stopped snowing.

After all streets have been plowed, the City does haul snow from commercial areas and neighborhoods where sidewalk is directly adjacent to back of curb. Clean-up plowing is also done from midnight to 7:00 a.m. when calendar parking restrictions are in effect.

During snow removal efforts, motorists are asked to slow down, watch for flashing lights on vehicles, and keep a safe distance from snow removal equipment. Hazardous conditions should be reported to the Street Maintenance Division at 839-4963.

Shoveling, plowing or blowing snow onto the streets or alleys can create dangerous conditions and is prohibited by City ordinance. Violators may be reported and ticketed for each offense.

Sidewalks

Sidewalks must be kept reasonably free of snow and ice and should be cleared within 24 hours following a snowfall or the development of icy conditions. Icy or snow-covered sidewalks can be reported to Street Maintenance at 839-4963. Property owners will be notified and, if the walks are not cleared, the owner will be issued a citation and the City will clean the sidewalk and bill the property owner.

Sand for slippery sidewalks can be picked up free of charge at the Central Maintenance Facility, 911 Forest Street. Gates are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Bring a container and a shovel to take what you need.