Politics & Government
Snow Rules to Know Around Plainfield
More snow could be on the way tonight; make sure you aren't breaking any ordinances. Plus, helpful shoveling tips.
It's officially time for all that white stuff to start making a regular appearance, and the National Weather Service is calling for periods of snow, mainly before midnight on New Year's Day.
Total accumulation for Wednesday night is 1 to 3 inches, according to the NWS, which reported that more than an inch fell in Plainfield on New Year's Eve.
And that means you need to make sure you're obeying Village of Plainfield ordinances regarding the snow.
Parking on the street
Parking on the street during snowfall? Think again.First and foremost, residents should remember that parking is prohibited on Plainfield streets any time snow reaches a depth of three or more inches until the streets have been plowed and the snow has been removed. That rule is in addition to the village's year-round parking policy, prohibits on-street parking between 1 and 6 a.m.
Plainfield salting/plowing policies
From the village website:
"The Village’s snow and de-icing crews are on alert and standing by when a minor (dusting to less than 2 inches) snow or ice event is forecast. Once the precipitation, snow or ice, begins to accumulate salt trucks begin applying salt to the primary/main traffic routes. These are dealt with first for safety issues due to higher speed limits and heavier traffic volume. We try to clear these routes before rush hour whenever possible. The timing of the storm can cause delays for the plowing crews, residents, and normal traffic flow. Upon completion of the primary roads, salting of major collector streets begins; these are main streets through subdivisions, roads that link with main roads, and streets with schools. We then begin salting of residential side streets, dead ends, and cul-de-sacs. A simple salting operation can take four to six hours.
When snow reaches two or more inches, the Village begins a plowing operation. A secondary group is called out to help with the plowing in addition to the salt shift. As salt trucks continue to work on plowing their primary and arterial streets, other snowplow trucks begin to work on side streets. Alleys, cul-de-sacs, and dead ends are done towards the end of the storm due to low traffic volume. The last task is pushing back corners, cleaning up areas where cars may have been parked, and one last check through the entire route to re-salt and plow where necessary. This operation will last about 14 to 18 hours after the last of the snow has fallen."
To read the entire policy, click here.
For winter weather updates from the village, follow the public works department on Facebook (Plainfield IL Public Works) and/or Twitter (@PlainfieldILPW). The village also has a snowplowing hotline: 815-609-6145.
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Shoveling
The village also offers the following helpful shoveling hints:
- Shovel driveway aprons only after the roadway is completely cleared. This will eliminate the need to shovel them more than once.
- Pile all the snow away from the edge of the road, on the left side of the driveway as you face the house. Should the snowplow pass by again, after you have shoveled, this will prevent the plow from pushing the snow back into your driveway.
- Do not push snow into or across the street. This may result in that same snow being deposited in your neighbor's driveway, if the snowplow should make an additional pass.
- Clear snow and ice from the walk adjacent to your property. This makes pedestrian travel safer and easier.
- Clear snow away from fire hydrants to permit easy access, in case of an emergency.
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