Snow Plowing 101 FAQ

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Below are answers to the most commonly asked snow plowing and winter road condition questions. These answers will better inform you about snow removal policies and procedures.

Questions from residents

Why can't you plow my street now?

We wish we had enough snowplows and drivers to take care of every street right away, but our resources are limited, and we must adhere to a carefully laid-out system for clearing the streets. Bus routes and arterial streets have first priority for snow plowing. Residential streets with hills of 2 percent grade or more are a second priority. The remainder of the streets will then be plowed and are considered third priority.

The plow left some snow at the end of my driveway. Can you send someone to come and plow it out?

There are approximately 15,000+ driveways in the City of Iowa City; the Streets Division crews do not come back and plow out any driveways.

Can you tell me exactly when my street will be plowed?

We cannot give you an estimate of when your street will be cleared due to ever-changing weather conditions.

Why don't the trucks plow and salt on the way to their routes?

Each snowplow has an assigned route. If the trucks spread salt on their way to their destination, then they wouldn't have enough to spread along their own route.

Is there a reason you can't pile the snow on the medians instead of putting it on the sidewalks?

As we plow, snow may inadvertently fall onto the sidewalk due to the park area being narrow. We do not store the snow on medians because the snow can cause sight problems for traffic.

Why hasn't my street been cleared?

The following streets can be difficult to clear snow from due to vehicles being parked on both sides. Some streets will be skipped until cars are moved so that plows can safely maneuver.
- Alpine Court
- Amber Lane
- Arbury Drive
- Bancroft Drive
- Bartelt Road
- Briar Drive
- Brookland Park Drive
- Buresh Avenue
- Catskill Court
- Chadwick Lane
- Chestnut Court
- Clark Street
- College Street
- Crestview Avenue
- Dearborn Street
- Dodge Street
- Dolan Place
- Dover Street, north of Muscatine Avenue
- Eastwood Drive
- Evans Street, 100 block
- Flatiron Avenue
- G Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
- Gleason Avenue
- Gleason Drive
- Governor Street
- Grant Street
- Grantwood Drive
- Gryn Drive
- Hollywood Boulevard at 1100 block
- Indigo Court
- Iowa Avenue
- Jefferson Street
- Johnson Street
- Longfellow Court
- Lucas Street
- Market Street at 1000 block between Evans Street and Clapp Street
- Melrose Place
- Nevada Avenue, south of Lakeside Drive
- North Summit Street
- Oakland Avenue
- Oaklawn Avenue
- Page Street
- Palmer Circle
- Penfro Drive
- Pepper Drive
- Primrose Court
- Raven Street
- Regal Lane
- Roberts Road
- Sandusky Drive
- Scott Park Drive
- Shamrock Drive
- South Jamie Lane
- St. Anne's Drive
- Sterling Court
- Sterling Drive
- Summit Street
- Tracy Lane
- Valley Avenue
- Van Buren Street
- Wales Street
- Warwick Circle
- Washington Street
- Wylde Green Road

Snow plow operations

Why don't you use the big trucks to plow out cul-de-sacs?

The varying sizes of cul-de-sacs present plowing problems ranging from difficult to impossible. Therefore, endloaders with blades and buckets are used to plow most cul-de-sacs more efficiently than large trucks. However, there are not enough endloader units for each route. The units are shared by adjoining routes as necessary. This will result in longer response times on cul-de-sacs.

Why do snowplow trucks sometimes just ride around when it's not snowing?

There are three reasons you might see plows on the streets on snowless days. One is that every driver undergoes pre-season training. The second reason is that the trucks may be scanning the city for secondary cleaning (cleaning the streets where vehicles were parked during the plowing of the streets). The third reason is that the trucks can be sanding main break areas that are out of their view, or other problem areas.

Parking/vehicles

When is parking prohibited on city streets?

The Central Business District is signed for no parking between 2 and 6 a.m. year-round for street cleaning, and this includes snow removal. Other streets near the downtown area are posted for no parking 48 hours in advance for cleaning. Any vehicles remaining on the streets after the 48-hour notice will be towed. There is a general prohibition against parking a vehicle on-street for 48 or more hours without moving the vehicle. Vehicles may be ticketed more frequently during the winter months to ensure that plows are able to plow streets adequately. Anyone leaving town for an extended time should find suitable off-street parking to avoid ticketing and towing. During a declared snow emergency, parking is restricted to the alternate side of the street corresponding to odd/even dates of the calendar.

What should I do if my vehicle was ticketed and towed during snow removal operations?

The Police Department coordinates all towing operations. If you find that your vehicle has been towed, contact the Police Department at 319-356-5275.

Businesses

I own a business downtown. How are streets plowed in the Central Business District?

Streets and alleys in the Central Business District are treated separately from other snow and ice control operations because snow storage within the street and alley rights-of-way is not desirable.

When snow removal operations begin, streets and alleys in and near the central business area are sanded and salted. Snow is not hauled from the area unless there is an accumulation and the temperature is too low for the sand and salt application to effectively melt the snow. Snow is not hauled from the Central Business District during the day unless the streets and alleys become impassable. Snow hauling operations normally commence during nighttime hours only when the storm has subsided. If it is snowing at 9 p.m., streets are passable, and snow is predicted to continue falling throughout the night, snow hauling operations will not normally begin until the following evening.

Iowa City, IA

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