Public Works Director Nan Newlon gave a timely report on the village’s snow removal effort at Tuesday’s village council workshop meeting.
Residents can expect the same level of service as in previous years, Newlon said, with public works crews attacking the 170 miles of village streets on a triage basis.
Priority One streets, those with the highest traffic volume or which lead to schools and Good Samaritan Hospital, are addressed first.
Secondary roadways with daily traffic of 200 to 2,000 vehicles are considered Priority Two streets. Priority Three streets are the village’s 333 cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets with daily traffic of fewer than 200 cars.
Public Works aims to clear Priority One and Two roadways down to bare pavement within 12 hours after a snow event, Newlon said.
“With Priority Three, we strive to provide bare pavement within 18 hours.” However, salt products aren’t as effective on low-volume streets, so bare pavement isn’t always achievable, she said.
The village also works to control snow and ice on downtown sidewalks and at the village’s three commuter stations within eight hours of the end of a snowfall.
Other village thoroughfares are maintained by the county and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Newlon reminded residents that the village doesn’t allow parking on streets between 9 p.m. and 6 p.m. when more than three inches of snow has fallen. She also encouraged homeowners to clear their sidewalks and keep hydrants accessible.
In remarks to the council, resident Bill Wrobel of the Downers Grove Watch asked that the village to require businesses along Ogden Avenue and Main Street to properly dispose of driveway and parking lot snow.
“We are advocating citizens and merchants alike to keep the sidewalks clean,” he said. “We will be contacting merchants this month and next month to try to ask their cooperation to abide by the village ordinance. We think public safety warrents everyone’s cooperation.”
The village’s 2008-09 Snow Removal and Ice Control policy is available here. For a map of village snow routes, click here.
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I would like the Downers Grove Watch to allow the residents and business the same amount of time that public works gets to clear their sidewalks and common areas. I normally agree with a lot of what Mr. Wrobel comments on, but this one I am not 100% on board with. There are also seniors who might not be able to shovel their sidewalks. Us able bodied individuals should be able to walk over some snow if the need arises. I don’t feel it would be a good use of tax dollars to have the village or the police riding around looking for violators.
I believe the larger issue along commercial corridors is to encourage businesses not to put snow on the public way to begin with, in compliance with the Municipal Code 19.21.1.
Depositing of snow on streets and sidewalks prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than authorized Village personnel, to:
a. Plow or otherwise remove snow or ice from private property and deposit the same on any Village street, sidewalk or right-of-way in such a manner as to decrease the drivable width on any such street, impede the normal routing of pedestrian traffic, or significantly hamper Village snow removal efforts.
b. Plow or otherwise remove snow or ice from private property in such a way as to block the vision of motorists at any intersection, prevent parking at the curb or cover fire hydrants.
(Ord. No. 2361, § 1.)
Thanks, John, I believe that is the ordinance Wrobel was referencing.
On a personal note, I keep waiting for Municipal Code 19.21.2, which will prohibit plows from depositing several inches of snow across my driveway — or at least allow me to blow it back into the street from whence it came.
After years of listening to commissioners caution residents against blowing snow into the streets, I certainly take their point. But sometimes, there’s just no place else to put it.
Oh well, a girl can dream…
And what muni code covers all the damage to mail boxes from these plows speedin through the streets kickin up huge sprays of snow? LOL
The garage at the corner of Fairview and Ogden was plowing thier parking lot snow right into the street with a John Deere they were hitting cars with it too….. I hear you EJ on the driveway I have a steep one and the plows always pile me in. Chad – I seem to remember that most all cities expect a certain number parked cars and mailboxes among other things to be taken out by plows. All that said they do a very good job keeping my street clear.
Thanks, John Schoefield and Elaine, that is the ordinance that is on the books and which is not up held by Merchants (Plowing Services, etc.) and home owners on Main and other four lane roads.
Please visit http://www.downersgrovewatch.org and see examples from last January where piles of parking lot snow and driveway snow were deposited up to 5 or 6 feet on sidewalks along Ogden Avenue making it impossible for pedestrians to walk on side walks forcing them into the
street, interfering with 4 lanes of Curb to Curb Traffic. Sears Store and Jewel/Osco on Ogden did not pile snow on their sidewalks and also plowed their sidewalks, last January 2009, these are two businesses that are pedestrian friendly.
The Watch would appreciate Citizens calling gross violations into the CRC Citizens response Center with the Village for Code Enforcement to Contact the Business Owners or Shopping Center Manager.
It is also a Good Neighbor Practice for Businesses and Citizens to plow their sidewalks and if they are at a Corner such as Main and Ogden Avenue to shovel the Crosswalks to assist pedestrians to cross the intersections. Last January, Walgreens, Trojan Hut, the BP Station and the Used Car lot at that Intersection either covered the sidewalk with their parking lot snow, or did not shovel their walks and certainly did not offer access to the cross walks at this busy intersection.
The Mayor called for Citizens and Businesses in Downers Grove to step foward this year to help the Village and offer their services to compliment the Village efforts., at Tuesday Night’s Workshop Meeting.
I am certain that Business Owners and Property Owners on Ogden Avenue and Streets Like Main Street (4 Lanes of fast traffic) can keep their sidewalks safe for pedestrians. Some businesses and property owners already do, they can reach out to their neighbors (business and individual) and get their NEIGHBORS to come together for everyone’s benefit for a Safe Winter 2009/10 in Downers Grove.
Today, I plowed my driveway and blew the snow on the parkway. Likewise, I plowed the sidewalk in front of my house and to the North and South to join the plowing efforts of my neighbors. It is surprising how one good turn prompts another. None of my neighbors put driveway snow on the sidewalks, even if they don’t plow their sidewalk, which is the exception.
Bill Wrobel
I’d love to be able to be a “good neighbor” every time it snows and immediately clear my sidewalks, but unfortunately I am employed and have to get on the road. And if it’s a heavy snow, I know it will take me about 90 minutes to get to work and 90 minutes to get home if I’m lucky – meaning I have to hit the road even sooner! So sorry, not all of us have the luxury of spending the whole morning meticulously cleaning off all surrounding pavement, heading out to Omega for a nice breakfast, and then repeating the process in the afternoon. Most likely I’ll be up early to shovel just to let myself back out of the driveway, leave for work about 6:30, and be home anywhere between 5 and 7pm (And in a blizzard? The condition of my sidewalk is last thing on my mind during one of those 3 hour one-way commutes!) . So if you walk past my house between those times – sorry! Can’t do anything about it. I can see enforcing these rules on businesses but not on homeowners.
Good point, HS. My personal snow patrol — aka teenaged son — is so committed at school that he doesn’t get home until after dark most days. Not the best time to shovel.
And on a day like today, only the heartiest souls have been out in my neighborhood. Biting cold sub-zero weather has a way of doing that.
I have yet to see any evidence that the second and third (gold and yellow) priority roads are ever plowed.
Yeah I’m kind of with Chad on the mailbox issue.
Thanks to Home Depot, I’ve got a brand new one waiting in my garage. There’s no way I’m going outside in 5 degrees to install that though.
Anyone have an auger I can borrow????
Go out to Home Depot and get that Awesome Auger that Billy Mays used to push! The thing rocks. not sure if it will work way do deep but it worked on my mailbox post hole. Good luck Ryan!