Lombard Public Works Department Ready For Snow

Please bear in mind that heavier snows take longer to clear and often times a storm event begins at rush hour, which causes delays for both the snow removal and traffic. It's important for residents to understand this process and be patient during snowstorms. During larger storms, updates are provided on the Village website, www.villageoflombard.org, as well as the Lombard Channel, channel 6 on Comcast Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse.

The depositing of snow from private property onto the streets or the stacking of snow from private property on the parkway adjacent to the street is strictly prohibited. Such action is also prohibited for commercial/institutional properties. Also, the Village would like to remind residents to not place garbage and/or recycling cans on the roadway, especially during snow events.

The following are some commonly asked questions regarding snowfall:

What is the Village spraying onto some of the roads?

The Village is spraying a “de-icing” mixture in anticipation of a storm on bridges, hills and, when time permits, on busier streets in order to prevent ice and snow from bonding onto the pavement. This treatment helps with driving safety and assists with snow removal from the pavement. It also helps the Village get a jump on storm response and reduces overtime costs.

Why does the Village spread salt on the streets?

Salt application begins when precipitation (either snow or ice) starts to accumulate and cause unsafe travel conditions. To completely salt the Village streets takes approximately five hours. Public Works uses rock salt as the initial response for winter precipitation. A brine mix including liquid calcium chloride is used as a pre-wetting agent to accelerate the effectiveness of the rock salt. The amount of salt used is determined by total accumulation, temperature and traffic conditions. Vehicle traffic aids the melting action and helps minimize the amount of salt needed. The Village uses an average of 3,000 tons of rock salt and 12,600 gallons of liquid calcium chloride per season.

Which streets are cleared first?

The Village has an established priority plowing system with specific goals in mind for clearing the 133 miles of street in the Village. These priorities are as follows:

1. Maintain accessibility to all streets in the Village for emergency vehicles.

2. Maintain priority street drivability for the general public.

3. Maintain minor street drivability for residents.

4. Provide normal driving conditions for all priority streets.

5. Provide commuter parking facilities and public building accessibility.

6. Provide clear corners within a two block radius of all schools.

7. Provide normal driving conditions for all minor streets.

8. Provide vehicle access to private garages located off alleys.

9. Remove snow in areas plowed to middle of road.

10. Push back corners in plow zones (minor street areas).

Why is my street always last?

As outlined in the Village's priority list, one of the Village's main goals is to maintain priority street drivability for the general public and it trickles down from there. Thus, the busier the street, the higher the priority. Due to the extremely low traffic volume that exists on cul-de-sacs and dead end streets, they are low on the priority list. However, do keep in mind, that in case of an emergency, the Public Works Department will respond immediately at the request of the Police or Fire Department to provide access for emergency vehicles.

Who clears downtown?

The Village is responsible for clearing the commuter parking lots around the Metra Station as well as the public sidewalks leading to the Metra Station, around commuter parking lots and under the viaduct. Metra is responsible for clearing the platform and business owners are responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their business. Certain major streets in the downtown area are not conducive to regular snow plowing. For these streets, the Village crews will windrow the snow, meaning plow it to the middle of the road in order to remove it later with a vehicle mounted snow blower and semi-trailers.

Are there any parking restrictions?

In order for the Public Works Department to plow streets efficiently, it is critical that parking be prohibited on streets. It is also critical that such parking prohibitions be rigidly enforced. At the present time, the Village Traffic Code prohibits parking on all streets during snow removal operations.