Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Every year the street next to mine gets
plowed and my street is passed by. Why?
A: The
City follows a priority plowing strategy that clears priority 1, 2 and then 3
in that order. Depending on your street type and those around you, the
timing of snow removal may vary.
Q: The truck plowed my street but there is still
snow on it. Is there something wrong with the plow?
A: No. In
most cases the snow is “hard packed” in the residential areas and the plows do
not scrape down to the pavement. The City’s goal is to make your street
passable to traffic.
Q: Why can’t the plow driver lift the plow when
going past my driveway?
A: If a driver raises or turns the plow when
approaching any given driveway, the snow in front of the plow will be dumped
into a pile in the street. The result would be an even greater amount of
snow piles at the end of the driveway and packed snow/ice on the pavement.
Shoveling snow at the end of a driveway is not a fun job, but unfortunately,
there is no way for the plow trucks to avoid depositing snow there.
Q: How do I find out more information about Snow
Emergency Levels?
A: Contact
your local county’s website.
Q: What is the City’s
salting and deicing protocol?
A: Salt is applied at a
rate that balances optimum deicing performance with environmental and cost
control factors. Salt alone is effective to (15) degrees Fahrenheit.
The City treats salt with a brine and/or beet juice solution making the salt
product effective down to a road temperature of (5) degrees Fahrenheit.
The ability to melt snow and ice with chemicals is not unlimited and a
combination of tire traffic and/or sunshine is needed to enhance the
effectiveness of deicing treatments.
Q: Why don’t I ever see a plow truck on my street?
A: Residential Plowing does not happen until both Priority 1 and
Priority 2 routes have been serviced. Therefore, plowing could begin in
the late hours of the evening or early hours depending on the timing of the snow.
The City’s Warrior Watch website can be used to identify which streets have
been serviced. Warrior Watch shows service information within the last 72 hours
while an event is active.
Q: Can I blow, shovel, or
plow snow onto the street?
A: No. For residential or
commercial property, it is against City Code Section 902.03 (a) to place any
snow into the city roadway.
Q: Where should I put my
trash container during a snow event on my collection day?
A: Your trash container
should never be placed in the street during any season. You should always place
it on the curb or at the bottom or your driveway, out of the street.
Q: Can my neighborhood’s
Homeowner’s Association contract with a private snow-plowing company instead of
having the City plow our residential streets?
A: The Department of
Public Service discourages HOAs and residents from taking on this immense
responsibility themselves and does not endorse or permit private companies to
provide snow-plowing services within the City’s rights-of-way due to liability
for damage to both public and private property. (For example, if a
private property owner’s car is damaged, the HOA would be held responsible for
the cost.)