City Operations

Cost effective snow operations require accurate assessment of street conditions. During the early stages of a storm, the Public Works Department relies heavily upon the patrolling of the Police Department for road condition reports. The Street and Planning Director and/or the Street Foreman then review the street conditions, weather radar images, and local forecasts to determine the appropriate course of action.

Depending upon the rate of snowfall, temperature, and the time of day this may be spreading of liquid and/or solid ice control chemicals or the use of snowplows for removal. Efforts are prioritized and generally focus on the downtown business district, the two state highways, the hospital, and school areas before radiating out into residential neighborhoods. Daytime snow events are treated as deemed necessary throughout the day to ensure streets are open to allow citizens to safely get home from work and school by evening.

The Police Department monitors street conditions overnight and notifies the Public Works Department if conditions warrant removal during the night. Public Works on-call personnel may also be contacted by the Police Department to provide snow remove or ice control measures in case of emergency situations involving an ambulance or fire call. After the cessation of most snow storms, the Public Works Department has streets cleared by 7:00 a.m. Snow is then hauled from the downtown business district and park sidewalks are opened when personnel becomes available. Residential alleys are normally cleared only after significant drifting or a snowfall of six inches or more. Careful planning and coordination of these activities allows the City of Wayne to provide quality service.