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1. When are streets plowed?

Plowing generally begins when snow becomes more than two-inches deep and when freezing temperatures indicate that no melting will occur. If there is a light snowfall and the afternoon sun is melting the fallen snow, it will be left to Mother Nature to remove the snow.

2. When is parking prohibited?

Parking is prohibited along Pratt Avenue when two inches or more of snow accumulates. Cars parked on Pratt Avenue will be ticketed and towed. See additional alternate side parking restrictions above. Receive notifications when alternate side parking is in effect by signing up. 

3. Why do we use road salt?

Salting is necessary to prevent melting snow from turning to ice. Once ice forms and becomes bonded to the pavement, it is very difficult to remove. Salting is typically done when the snow depth is one inch or less or if an icing condition occurs. Salting begins once the snow subsides and the salt will have time to take effect. The Public Works Department strives to use salt wisely and judiciously during any snow removal effort. Snow removal conditions will be rated using the following system:

Condition 1 More Than Two Inches of Snow Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, parking lots, and other hazardous areas mentioned by the Police Department or resident complaints must be salted. The whole town will be salted only in the case of freezing rain.

Condition 2 Less Than Two Inches of Snow or an Icy Storm Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, parking lots, and other hazardous areas mentioned by the Police Department or resident complaints will be salted. The whole town will be salted only in the case of freezing rain.

Condition 3 No Snow Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, and hazardous areas will be salted. Intersections will be salted after the snow stops, depending on weather conditions.

4. Why is snow piled on my corner?

Snow that accumulates across the side road at the street corner needs to be pushed back onto the corner. This is done to properly clear the street radius and allow cars to turn. The snowplow driver typically pushes snow back onto the corner in the direction the truck is traveling. This is why a particular corner may get more snow on it than another. It is not practical to require that the large snowplow truck attempt to maneuver around the intersection to equally distribute snow on opposite corners. This is difficult to accomplish and is also time-consuming during significant snowstorms.

Snow piled at the street corner is of particular concern where there may be school bus stops. If there is an accumulation of snow at the corner of a bus stop, children may have to move up the street in order to board the school bus. Please instruct children not to climb on the piles that have accumulated at the corners. If a snow pile on a particular corner becomes a sight distance problem at a particular intersection, please call the Public Works Department and the snow can be removed as time permits.

5. Why is my street always the last to be plowed?

There are many miles of streets within the Village. Typically, the large snowplow on each route will concentrate on the major streets within each particular subdivision. Once the collector streets have been plowed, the large truck will move to the secondary streets within each subdivision. Public Works keeps route layouts logical and efficient to save fuel and salt.

Typically, dead end streets are easiest to clear and take about 10 minutes each to complete. Cul-de-sacs with the center islands take approximately 20 minutes to be cleared. Finally, cul-de-sacs that do not have islands in the center are the most time consuming, usually taking approximately 30 minutes to plow. Another factor that affects the plow's arrival in your specific area has to do with equipment failures or breakdowns. If a truck is out of service for any period of time, it adversely affects snow removal within your area.

Public Works makes every effort to reduce the potential for breakdowns; however, breakdowns still occur. It should take each truck approximately four to five hours to pass through their entire route once. If the snow is a heavy, sustained storm, the truck may have to make many passes in an effort to keep roads passable.

6. Does the Village clear all roads?

The Village does not maintain any roads that fall under the jurisdiction of another agency. Lincoln Avenue, Cicero Avenue, Touhy Avenue, Devon Avenue, and McCormick Avenue are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Crawford Avenue is maintained by Cook County.

7. Why is snow always left at the end of my driveway?

Unfortunately, this is one of the consequences of owning a home in northern Illinois. Despite popular opinion, crews do not place snow in driveways on purpose. There is no practical way for the snow plow operator to cut off the windrow of snow when crossing a driveway. This problem is especially acute in cul-de-sacs because this is a very confined space. Cul-de-sacs require that all of the snow that is on the roadway within that confined space be placed along the outside of the circle. The problem is compounded by the fact that each homeowner then must clear their driveway, which places large piles on the corners of the drives.

In a cul-de-sac, it is extremely difficult to have the truck push snow onto a center island. Trucks are not built to be articulated into an angle that would allow placing a portion of the snow on the island, and centrifugal force causes the snow to move off of the plow toward the outside of the circle. Public Work's goal in clearing all streets is to maintain as much of the normal pavement width as possible, while at the same time, allowing acceptable access to the mailboxes by the postal carriers.

One thing you can do to reduce the amount of snow that is plowed in front of your driveway is to place as much of the snow as possible to the right side of your drive, as you face the street. This reduces the chance of snow previously removed from the driveway being pushed back onto your drive. This suggestion, however, may not work in cul-de-sacs that have driveway openings placed close together.

8. What can I do to help?

One major problem that works against snow removal operations is people shoveling or blowing snow back onto the street after it has been plowed and salted. Snow that has been deposited onto the street could refreeze and cause a hazardous condition for you or your neighbors. Please place the snow that you shovel off of your driveway and sidewalk onto the adjacent parkway and not back onto the street. When it starts to snow, park your vehicle off of the street. This protects the car from being splashed with slush and salt, prevents the car from being plowed in, or from receiving a ticket and being towed. Check that your mailbox and post are in good repair and that they are behind the curb, not leaning out over the street. If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home, please try to clear the snow around the hydrant. It is there for your protection and that of your neighbors. If you have any questions regarding our snow removal efforts, please call the Public Works at 847-675-0888. If a snow-related emergency occurs after 4:30 pm, you can call the non-emergency Police Department number at 847-673-2167.