Snow Removal Operations & Information

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The City of Kearney wants to remind residents of our snow removal policies and actions for the winter season. Please take caution during any snow storm if you need to be driving on the roadways. If at all possible, please remain home during the time when it is snowing. The City of Kearney Public Works Department will be plowing to combat any storm, however, there will be hazardous conditions until all the City’s thoroughfares have been treated.

Snow Removal

It is unavoidable for City of Kearney snow plows to push snow on sidewalks at all intersection corners during cleanup operations. It shall be the responsibility of the adjacent residential/business owner to remove these snow berms from the corners of intersections.

Residents can assist the Public Works crews in their efforts by doing the following:

  • Residents should not park on the street during a snow event. It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle on any streets or portions of streets during a snow emergency period. Snow Emergency Routes can be found here.
  • Commercial property owners are responsible for plowing commercial parking lots, driveways, and public sidewalks adjoining their businesses. 
  • Residential property owners are responsible for shoveling or plowing public sidewalks adjoining their homes. 
  • Shovel snow from driveways into the parkway and not into the street. This will help to avoid creating dangerously slippery conditions for both motorists and pedestrians. Shoveling snow into the street is a city code violation. 
  • Shovel out fire hydrants that are in or around your property and around meters to aid utility meter readers. 
  • Clear sidewalks of snow for the safety of pedestrians and children walking to school. 
  • Uncover your mailbox and create a path for postal vehicles to pull up to mailboxes. 
  • Help your neighbors. For many residents, age or medical conditions make it difficult to shovel snow without risking their health.

During Snowfall Events

The City of Kearney Public Works Department will mobilize its crews when there is a measurable accumulation of snowfall or if the winter mix is causing a hazardous driving situation such as freezing rain. The Public Works Department is responsible for over 600 lane-miles of roadway with a fleet of up to 18 snow plow trucks and 7 loaders. The City of Kearney has a goal of clearing 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 of snow and the staffing and equipment available, crews will not return to streets where parked vehicles have been avoided during snow removal operations. Crews will return during normal working hours after all streets have been cleared.

STREET PLOWING OPERATIONS ARE PERFORMED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: 

  1. Major Arterials, hospital routes, hills, and the bridges. 
  2. Subdivision mains and collector streets. 
  3. All remaining subdivision streets. 
  4. Cul-de-sacs and dead ends. 

Driveways

When plowing is required, snow “berms” are unavoidably created across driveways. The plow operators do not have control over the wind-row of snow coming off the edge of the blade. The Public Works Department tries to keep this problem to a minimum. Residents are reminded that shoveling or plowing snow into the street is strictly prohibited by City Code. To minimize the frustrating problem of the snowplow covering your driveway with snow after you’ve just shoveled it, stand facing the street and shovel snow into the yard or parkway instead of the street. (Code 1958, 27.5; Ord. No. 3559, 1, 12-14-82; Code 1980, 33-16)

Sidewalks

The City does not clear sidewalks in residential or business neighborhoods and applauds citizens and proprietors for clearing sidewalks to help their neighbors and customers weather the storm.

Sidewalks should be cleared to the pavement within 24 hours after a snowfall event. In the event a property owner violates this section by refusing, failing, or neglecting to so maintain sidewalks abutting his/her property, such owner shall be liable for injuries or damages to any person who is injured by such failure or neglect.  Please lend a hand to elderly or disabled neighbors who cannot clear their own sidewalks, porches, and steps. (Ord. No. 5339, 12-10-91)

Mailboxes

The City of Kearney crews make every effort to clear the roads from curb to curb where cars are not parked on the street. In many cases with wet snow, the snow or plow blade may damage/remove mailboxes that are set close to the street; this is unavoidable. Mailbox damage complaints will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

The City of Kearney will not reimburse for any mailbox damage on improperly located mailboxes. Any questions regarding the placement of mailboxes should be directed to the Kearney Post Office at (800) 275-8777.