Snow & Ice

Snow and Ice FAQs

When do you plow snow?

Every storm is different, but usually roads are treated at the start of a storm. Generally, after 2 to 3-inches of snow has accumulated, plowing will begin. After the plowing process is completed, another round of road treatment may be necessary as weather conditions vary throughout the storm. Please be patient as we work to clean streets, bus stops, ramps, and other public areas.

Why hasn’t my road been plowed yet?

During storms, there is a plowing priority to ensure the safest road conditions. Our routes first focus on plowing the main streets in the City, then hills, flat roads and finally private ways. This priority is also applied when sanding the roads as well.

Why was my road not plowed from curb to curb?

During a storm, our goal is to keep all roads passable, so many times total width plowing, intersections, and cul-de-sacs are not plowed until the storm is ending or has ended. Do not become alarmed if one area of your cul-de-sac or intersection has more snow after plowing than you see in another section. This is normal for our plowing sequence.

Why do you fill up my driveway with snow?

The City’s job is to keep the streets and sidewalks free of accumulating snow for safety and emergency access. Unfortunately, as a result of snow plowing, snow can be deposited into Resident driveways. The City does not endeavor to fill up driveways, but it can be a side effect of the efforts to keep the streets and sidewalks safe for traffic. Please remember the City employees are only doing their jobs so that residents can safely use the streets and sidewalks. Please see the Winter Snowstorm Tips Tricks for ways to avoid the “second shovel”.

Where can I put the snow from my driveway?

All snow from your property must remain on your property. It is illegal to put your snow in the road, across the street or on anyone else's property. Try to plan and have a snow storage location for your snow. Please see the Winter Snowstorm Tips Tricks for the best place to deposit snow from your driveway.

Do you plow private ways?

We plow certain private ways. Please note that private ways are plowed only to provide emergency access at the end of a storm.

Do you plow sidewalks?

We plow almost 15 miles of sidewalk in City. Sidewalk plow routes are listed here (School-Sidewalk-Routes-PDF (Watertowndpw.org)). We utilize two sidewalk tractors to plow our sidewalk list during and after snowstorms.

At the end of snowstorms, once all roadways have been cleared of snow for public safety, we then begin crosswalks and accessible ramps (Bus-Stops-and-Crosswalks-PDF (Watertowndpw.org)). This work, which can require snow removal to our facility at Filippello Park, is done at night only. Using City and contractor resources, it can take several nights to complete the list. After crosswalk and ramps are complete, we then clear bus stops.

Why can’t I park in the street overnight in the winter?

For snow plowing, we need all vehicles off the streets so we can clear the snow from curb to curb. During nighttime and early morning hours, it is very difficult to see a parked car, due to the amount of snow being pushed ahead of the plow. For safety reasons, we ask that all cars be removed from the street. Any cars left on the street will be towed at the owner's expense.

Snow & Ice Documents