If snow is forecast, crews apply a salt brine solution to major thoroughfares, bridges, and overpasses 24 to 48 hours in advance. This helps prevent snow from sticking to the pavement and makes plowing and additional salting more effective.

When winter weather is predicted, the Field Operations Department activates its snow program. Salt spreaders and snow plows are mounted onto 45 City trucks. One hundred employees begin working around the clock in 12-hour shifts until the streets are clear.

During inclement weather, the City treats almost 700 miles of streets. Priority 1 routes, which are emergency service routes and major thoroughfares, such as Wendover Avenue, Battleground Avenue, and Gate City Boulevard are cleared first, followed by minor thoroughfares. Residential streets are plowed only after the main priority streets have been cleared.

After precipitation ends, Field Operations' goal is to:

• have 90% of Priority 1 routes to bare pavement within 36 hours
• have 75% of Priority 2 routes to bare pavement within 48 hours
• have 75% of residential streets drivable within 72 hours.

The City has a salt storage facility that holds up to 3,000 tons of salt.

Each fall, crews receive refresher training on proper procedures for loading and unloading equipment, plowing and salting, reviewing and updating snow routes, and street assignments.

Trucks and equipment are cleaned after every event to minimize corrosion. Each piece of equipment is thoroughly cleaned in the spring and undergoes preventive maintenance in the summer to ensure good working order for the next season.

Funds for the snow program are set aside each year. Any unspent funds are added to the street maintenance budget for repair and resurfacing of streets.

When snow plows clear the streets in your area, extra snow can collect along the curb and in driveways. Since it would drastically slow the snow removal process, our crews are not able to remove snow from residential or commercial driveway entrances, parking lots, or sidewalks. If needed, please shovel off the extra snow in your driveway and place it near the curb or in your yard. If you put it back in the street, plows could push it back into your driveway when they come by again.

If you believe a snow plow damaged your mailbox, call 373-CITY (2489). Each call will be investigated and, if it is determined that a snow plow caused damage, the City will fix your mailbox.

To view real-time status of street plowing during inclement weather, check out our interactive snow removal route map. Data for this map is uploaded into the system only when plowing operations begin. Not every snowstorm requires plowing.