Other than Cul-de-Sacs, Plainfield Roads Are Cleared, Village Officials Say

Update posted 1 p.m. Thursday:

1) The on-street parking ban has been extended to 6 a.m. Saturday. The only exception is downtown Lockport Street, where parking will be allowed during business hours.

2) If your mailbox is damaged because of the weight of the snow or a snow plow, call the Public Works Department at 815-436-3577.

3) Snow removal crews say they have noticed snow tunnels in the streets as they push snow to the curbs.  They warn that children should stay out of the snow tunnels and remain on the house-side of the sidewalk when playing. 

Every street in Plainfield -- other than cul-de-sacs -- has at least one passable lane, village officials said today.

After struggling to clear the main streets of the 18.5 inches of snow that fell in a 24-hour period over Tuesday and Wednesday, plows were able to make sweeps through all of the subdivisions by Wednesday night, according to a news release issued by village spokesman Amy De Boni.

Today, crews will be  focusing on cul-de-sacs, which are always the last streets to be plowed, and pushing snow back from mailboxes so the U.S. Postal Service can deliver mail, De Boni said.

The process took longer than normal because of the high volume of vehicles stranded in the snow. Officials said had to work around or move about 80 all told, including 30 that were actually blocking streets, officials said.

Many stranded drivers had to be rescued, and about 25 took refuge from the storm at the Plainfield Police Station. All were able to leave by Wednesday afternoon, De Boni said in the release.

The situation was so difficult that Mayor Michael Collins declared a "local state of emergency" Wednesday.

Despite the problems, village crews still managed to make all of the streets passable -- with the exception of the cul-de-sacs -- within a 24-hour period, De Boni said.

"We appreciate the hard work of all the snowplow crews," De Boni said in the release. "Because of their diligent efforts, the village has been able to respond in a quick and efficient manner to the third largest snowstorm in Chicago's history."

The on-street parking ban remains in effect until 6 a.m. Friday. Indian Boundary Road, which is difficult to use when there is  blowing and drifting snow, remains closed.

The Plainfield Fire Department has also issued a warning to residents about the danger of high-efficiency furnace exhuast vents becoming blocked by snow, De Boni said. Residents need to make sure they're cleared so that carbon monoxide does not enter the house, she said in her release.