Winter Maintenance

SNOW SHOVELING

Municipal ordinance states that all sidewalks shall be cleared of snow and ice within 36 hours after the end of a snow event.  The Director of Public Works may direct staff to clear the sidewalks.  Clearing will start after consideration has been given to local conditions (amount of snowfall, street conditions, weather reports, etc.).

Wisconsin Statute 66.615 and Chapter 4.09 of the Municipal Code requires all property owners to keep public sidewalks cleared of snow and ice.  The sidewalk must be cleared of snow and ice the entire width and length.  Wisconsin Statute 66.615 also gives the City the authority to have unshovelled sidewalks cleared and billed to the property owner.  If the bill is not paid, it will be subject to be placed on the tax roll.

PLACING SNOW AND WASTE ON CITY STREETS

Chapter 4 (4.03)  No person shall remove or cause to be removed from any private property any snow, slush, or waste material of any kind into the city streets or onto other public property of the city.

Direct any questions to the office of the Director of Public Works, 608/348-9741, Ext. 2238, or e-mail at crofooth@platteville.org

WINTER MAINTENANCE:  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When will my street be plowed?  It depends on the priority of the street.  It could be very soon if you are on a major street or could be up to 12 hours for a small cul-de-sac.  If we have continuous snow over a long period of time, it could be even longer.  Our goal is to have all roads passable within 24 hours regardless.

Why did you plow snow at the end of my driveway?  This is always a touchy question.  The plows are responsible to move the snow off the public street.  The property owner has the option to remove all or part of the snow at the end of the driveway as needed for access to the house or business.

Will the City remove the snow from the end of my driveway?  No.  The owner must remove the snow.

Can I put the snow back in the road to have the plows take it somewhere else?  No.  It is illegal for owners to place snow back in the street.  The fine for a First Offense is $50.00.  The only exception is in the Downtown area where owners are allowed to place snow from the sidewalk at the curb for removal.

Where can I park during a snow storm?  The best place to park is in your driveway.  If there is no room, the next recommendation would be on a wide street that has alternate side parking.  This will allow enough room for vehicles to park and plows to clear the main portion of the street.  Within a couple of days after a snow storm when cars get moved this will also allow the crew time to plow the other parking lane.  One recommendation that can benefit year-round is to stagger parking.  What this means is when you park on a street with parking allowed on both sides, it is still courteous to not park directly across from another parked car.  Park forward or back of an already parked car.  This will allow passing cars plenty of room for maneuvering – summer or winter.

Do I have to shovel my sidewalk?  Yes.  You are responsible to keep the entire width and length of the sidewalk free of snow & ice.  This includes shoveling out to the cleared portion of the street at intersections.  The City will have its contractor shovel snow for any owner that does not comply with the Municipal Ordinance.  One way you can help is to throw the snow from the sidewalk back into the yard.  It will clear the walk, plus leave more space between the sidewalks and curb for the snow plows to remove snow from the street.  It will minimize the amount of snow that may be pushed back onto the sidewalk.