Ask Your Municipal Government

Question:  Do you ever plan on plowing roads north and south of snowy range on the west side of Laramie? I don't ever see plows at all and I'm home all day.

Response:

A. PLOWING PRIORITIES:  While priorities may need to change based on characteristics of any given storm, general priorities for plowing are:

1.  Arterial Streets
2. Collector Streets
3. Drifting Areas
4. School Areas
5. Central Business District
6.  Alleys in Central Business District
7.  Parking Lots
8.  Sidewalks

If storm conditions are such that all priorities cannot be addressed in a given cycle, the lower priorities may be dropped until adequate equipment and manpower is available to get to them.

B. PLOWING METHODS

1. Plowing is to commence on arterial and collector streets when snow reaches a depth of three (3) inches on the street, or when drift patterns have developed that warrant plowing. Plowing of arterial and collector streets is intended to provide a minimum of single lane, two-way traffic. Plowing will be toward the outside, and removal will take place only when necessary as conditions may warrant.
2. Local and residential streets are not intended to receive regular winter maintenance and plowing is to commence only if such streets become impassable. Plowing will then be limited to one pass with such equipment as may be available and will normally take place only after the storm ends. Equipment will be provided as necessary to assist in response to emergency situations.
3. Plowing in the Central Business District (CBD) will be toward the center, and, if necessary, snow will be removed during the early morning hours after businesses have had time to remove snow from the sidewalks to the streets. All snow will be removed from the side of the street for which the alternate no-parking is in effect. Snow that can be removed from the opposite side of the street will also be removed. Remaining snow will be removed the following morning, if necessary. For the purpose of this Policy, the CBD is defined as the area bounded by 1st and 5th Streets on the west and east respectively, and Clark and Custer Streets on the north and south, respectively.
4. Plowing of drifted areas is intended to provide single lane, two-way traffic. Drifts may be addressed by plow, blower, or by removal in order to avoid having a windrow to cause secondary drifting. Severe drifting accompanied by impaired visibility may result in temporary street closures.