Snow Removal

Please take caution during any snowstorm if you will be driving on the roadways. If at all possible, please remain home during snowfall. Please keep in mind that street parking is prohibited during and after snowfall events, as is depositing snow in the roadway from driveways. Violators will be cited; see the specific Ordinance below for more information. The City of Lockport will be plowing to remove snow and ice as efficiently as possible, however, there will likely be hazardous conditions until all the City’s thoroughfares have been treated. The residents of Lockport are asked to be patient and recognize that during the winter months there may be some minor inconveniences.

During Snowfall Events

The City of Lockport will mobilize its crews when there is a measurable accumulation of snowfall or if a wintry mix of freezing precipitation causes hazardous driving conditions.

The City is responsible for 211 miles of roadway and has a fleet of 11 snow plow trucks and eight pickup trucks. The City's goal is to clear all streets within twenty-four (24) hours after the snow stops falling. Heavier snows often take longer to clear.

Due to the volume of streets to be cleared and the staffing and equipment available, crews will not return to streets where parked vehicles have been moved during snow removal operations. Crews will return during normal working hours after all streets have been cleared of any parked vehicles.

Fire Hydrants

Consider assisting elderly friends and neighbors, as well as those with medical conditions, in keeping their fire hydrants clear. It is critical for the fire department to have approximately three feet around the hydrant so that they have a working area and quick access in the event of a fire. When firefighters arrive at a fire and discover a hydrant has been lost or buried in snow, they can waste valuable time trying to find it.

Parking Ordinance

As a reminder, City Ordinance states that "no person shall park any vehicle upon public streets at any time after the snow begins to fall and for eight hours after snow stops falling on the streets and public parking lots. If the snow on the street exceeds two inches in depth, the parking prohibition shall continue until snow removal operations are complete."

(§ 70.612, Ord. 513, passed 1-7-52; Am. Ord. 724, passed 8-3-70; Am. Ord. 91-258, passed 12-16-91)

Whenever possible, please park all vehicles in your driveways during a snow event to help facilitate the safe removal of snow on your street. When snowfall begins, the snow parking ban is put into effect. All vehicles must be moved off of public streets until the City of Lockport’s snowplow trucks have an opportunity to remove snow from the street.

During the winter months, the City of Lockport intends to fully enforce the snow parking ban. The Lockport Police Department will have the option of issuing a parking ticket and/or having the vehicle towed. All towing and storage costs will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Depositing Snow/Ice on Public Roadway Prohibited

City Ordinance states that “ No person, firm, corporation or institution, public or private, shall plow or remove or cause to be plowed or removed ice or snow from any shopping center, parking lot, commercial or institutional service area or driveway or any and deposit such ice or snow upon public highway or along the shoulder or edge of a public highway.”

(§ 70.52, Ord. 99-236, passed 12-29-99; Am. Ord. 14-004, passed 2-19-14)

Plowing Priorities

The City has established a priority plowing system to help traffic move as efficiently and safely as possible.

Priority One - Streets which are main streets, including those in subdivisions, roads that link arterials, and those streets with schools located on them.
Priority Two - Streets which are minor residential, side streets, and those cul-de-sacs with steep inclines and/or sharp curves.
Priority Three - Streets include dead ends, cul-de-sacs, and alleys.

Mailbox Policy

City of Lockport snow plow drivers make a great effort to clear the roadways from curb to curb. During snow removal operations, mailboxes and/or posts may be damaged by a City plow truck making direct physical contact with them, or by the weight of the snow rolling off the plow blade. The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines to be used by the City for the repair and/or replacement of mailboxes and/or posts that have been damaged during snow removal.

Reporting Damage

Plow drivers will do their best to notify homeowners of mailbox damage caused by City snow removal operations by leaving a notice at their door. If residents do not receive a notice, they can report the damage to the City. Notification of a damaged mailbox and/or post must be provided to the City of Lockport Public Works & Engineering Department for evaluation within 10 days. Residents can notify the City by completing a service request online at www.cityoflockport.net (search “service request”) or by calling 815-838-0549 option 8. Once service has been requested, Public Works & Engineering will inspect your mailbox and determine responsibility. Typically if a mailbox is hit directly by snow removal equipment, the post will be sheared off at the ground surface. Mailboxes tipped, damaged, or knocked down by the weight of the snow being cleared by a City plow truck WILL NOT be eligible for repair/replacement/reimbursement. A properly installed and maintained mailbox should be able to withstand these forces and conditions that result from routine snow plowing.

Repair/Replacement/Reimbursement

If a mailbox is directly struck by City of Lockport snow removal equipment, and the mailbox conforms to U.S. Postal Service specifications as listed on the attachment, the City will repair it if possible. If a repair is not possible, the homeowner can choose between a replacement and reimbursement. Replacement will consist of a 4” x 4” wooden post and standard metal box (a temporary mailbox may be installed until a full repair/replacement can be made once snow has melted). If the replacement is not desired, the City will reimburse for a new mailbox up to a maximum of $50 (copies of receipts are required).

Full Policy (PDF)

Driveways & Cul-de-Sacs

The City is responsible for clearing streets of snow and ice to allow for emergency access, vehicular traffic, and daytime parking. The city clears the street from curb to curb to ensure that emergency vehicles and all traffic can move safely. As the city trucks pass driveways, some snow rolls off the edge of the side-discharge plow and into the driveway, particularly if the driveway has already been cleared.

There are ways for you to minimize this problem. When shoveling out the portion of your driveway closest to the street, push the snow to the right (as you face the street) so that it will be “downstream” when the plow comes by. Please be aware that in very heavy snow or during storms where snow continues to fall, plows may make several passes to clear the roadways.

Cul-de-sacs are particularly difficult to plow during snow removal operations. The City has 145 cul-de-sacs and alleys that are plowed after each snow event. Smaller trucks are used to navigate turns on these streets. As with driveways on streets, some snow will inevitably come off the plow and end up in driveways. Try to wait until the cul-de-sac has been plowed before clearing the end of your driveway.

When you do shovel, push snow to the right side of the driveway to keep it from being pushed back into the area just cleared. Plowing snow from the outside of the cul-de-sac to the middle does not work. Using this approach, the driver would eventually run out of room to pile the snow and eliminate the potential for emergency vehicles to access the homes within the cul-de-sac. Additionally, fire hydrants are located in many cul-de-sac islands; for fire safety, these cannot be buried by plowed snow.

Sidewalks

The City does not clear sidewalks and applauds citizens and proprietors for clearing sidewalks to help their neighbors and customers during the storm.

State Routes

The following roadways are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Please contact at IDOT at (815) 722-6652 if you have a concern regarding one of the following:

IL-Route 171 (State Street; Archer Avenue)
New Avenue
IL-Route 53 (Broadway)
IL-Route 7 (9th Street; 159th Street)

County Roadways

The following are maintained by the Will County Highway Department, reachable by phone at (815) 727-8476.

Briggs Street
Division Street east of Briggs to Cedar Road
Cedar Road

City Roadways

Please contact the City's Public Works Department at (815) 838-0549, option 8 if you have a concern regarding the following roadways:

Division Street west of Briggs Street
Farrell Road
Gougar Road from Bruce Road to 163rd / 7th Street
Gougar Road north of 151st Street
147th Street to Lemont Road
Thornton from State Street to Madison