Frequently Asked Questions

Plowing generally begins when snow becomes more than two-inches deep and when freezing temperatures indicate that no melting will occur. If there is a light snowfall and the afternoon sun is melting the fallen snow, it will be left to Mother Nature to remove the snow.

Parking is prohibited along Pratt Avenue when two inches or more of snow accumulates. Cars parked on Pratt Avenue will be ticketed and towed. See additional alternate side parking restrictions above. Receive notifications when alternate side parking is in effect by signing up. 

Salting is necessary to prevent melting snow from turning to ice. Once ice forms and becomes bonded to the pavement, it is very difficult to remove. Salting is typically done when the snow depth is one inch or less or if an icing condition occurs. Salting begins once the snow subsides and the salt will have time to take effect. The Public Works Department strives to use salt wisely and judiciously during any snow removal effort. Snow removal conditions will be rated using the following system:

Condition 1 More Than Two Inches of Snow Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, parking lots, and other hazardous areas mentioned by the Police Department or resident complaints must be salted. The whole town will be salted only in the case of freezing rain.

Condition 2 Less Than Two Inches of Snow or an Icy Storm Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, parking lots, and other hazardous areas mentioned by the Police Department or resident complaints will be salted. The whole town will be salted only in the case of freezing rain.

Condition 3 No Snow Is Expected

Main streets, bridges, and hazardous areas will be salted. Intersections will be salted after the snow stops, depending on weather conditions.

Snow that gathers at street corners often needs to be pushed back onto the parkway so plows can fully clear the intersection and maintain a safe turning radius for vehicles. When a plow enters an intersection, the driver pushes snow in the direction of travel, which can result in one corner receiving more snow than another. This is a normal part of snow operations. Because of the size of the equipment and the need to keep routes moving efficiently during a storm, it is not practical or safe for plow drivers to maneuver through the intersection in a way that evenly distributes snow to all corners.

Snow piles at corners can occasionally create challenges near school bus stops. If snow has accumulated in an area where children wait, they may need to stand slightly up the street to safely board the bus. Please remind children not to climb or play on snow piles, as visibility is reduced and plow trucks may return for additional passes.

If snow at a particular corner is creating a visibility issue or blocking sightlines at an intersection, please contact the Public Works Department. Crews will evaluate the location and remove snow as time and conditions permit.

The Village maintains many miles of roadway, and snow operations are structured to clear streets in an organized, efficient sequence. During each winter event, plow operators work through their assigned routes in sections, beginning with the roads that carry the most traffic.

How Plowing Is Prioritized

1. Main and Collector Streets
   Plowing begins on major streets within each subdivision to ensure that primary travel routes remain open for residents, emergency vehicles, and school buses. These streets receive the first attention during every storm.

2. Secondary Residential Streets
   Once the main roads are cleared and safe, trucks move into the surrounding residential streets. Route layouts are planned to minimize backtracking, conserve fuel and salt, and create consistent, predictable progress throughout the Village.

3. Cul-de-Sacs and Dead Ends
   These areas require more maneuvering and take additional time.

   • Dead-end streets typically take about 10 minutes to clear.

   • Cul-de-sacs with a center island take about 20 minutes.

   • Cul-de-sacs without islands may take up to 30 minutes, as trucks have limited space to turn.

4. Alleys (where applicable)
   After primary and residential streets are addressed, crews follow up in alleys to ensure consistent access throughout each neighborhood.

The Village is only responsible for maintaining streets that fall within its jurisdiction. Several major roadways in Lincolnwood are maintained by other agencies, not by the Village.

• Lincoln Avenue, Cicero Avenue, Touhy Avenue, Devon Avenue, and McCormick Boulevard are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).

• Crawford Avenue is maintained by Cook County.

Because these roads are not under Village control, Lincolnwood does not plow, salt, or perform maintenance on them. Please contact the appropriate agency for concerns related to these routes.

Unfortunately, this is one of the consequences of owning a home in northern Illinois. Despite popular opinion, crews do not place snow in driveways on purpose. There is no practical way for the snow plow operator to cut off the windrow of snow when crossing a driveway. This problem is especially acute in cul-de-sacs because this is a very confined space. Cul-de-sacs require that all of the snow that is on the roadway within that confined space be placed along the outside of the circle. The problem is compounded by the fact that each homeowner then must clear their driveway, which places large piles on the corners of the drives.

In a cul-de-sac, it is extremely difficult to have the truck push snow onto a center island. Trucks are not built to be articulated into an angle that would allow placing a portion of the snow on the island, and centrifugal force causes the snow to move off of the plow toward the outside of the circle. Public Work's goal in clearing all streets is to maintain as much of the normal pavement width as possible, while at the same time, allowing acceptable access to the mailboxes by the postal carriers.

One thing you can do to reduce the amount of snow that is plowed in front of your driveway is to place as much of the snow as possible to the right side of your drive, as you face the street. This reduces the chance of snow previously removed from the driveway being pushed back onto your drive. This suggestion, however, may not work in cul-de-sacs that have driveway openings placed close together.

One major problem that works against snow removal operations is people shoveling or blowing snow back onto the street after it has been plowed and salted. Snow that has been deposited onto the street could refreeze and cause a hazardous condition for you or your neighbors. Please place the snow that you shovel off of your driveway and sidewalk onto the adjacent parkway and not back onto the street. When it starts to snow, park your vehicle off of the street. This protects the car from being splashed with slush and salt, prevents the car from being plowed in, or from receiving a ticket and being towed. Check that your mailbox and post are in good repair and that they are behind the curb, not leaning out over the street. If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home, please try to clear the snow around the hydrant. It is there for your protection and that of your neighbors. If you have any questions regarding our snow removal efforts, please call the Public Works at 847-675-0888. If a snow-related emergency occurs after 3:30 pm, you can call the non-emergency Police Department number at 847-673-2167.

When two inches or more of snowfall has accumulated, residents must follow alternate side street parking regulations:

• Even-numbered calendar days (M–F, 8:30 AM–3:30 PM):
   Park on the side of the street with even-numbered addresses.
• If you live at 6900 N Lincoln Avenue, you (and all your neighbors) would park on your side of the street on December 2nd and park on the other side on December 3rd.
• Odd-numbered calendar days (M–F, 8:30 AM–3:30 PM):
   Park on the side with odd-numbered addresses
• If you live at 7001 N Lawndale, you (and all your neighbors) would park on your side of the street on December 1st, and on the other side the next day.

Considerations:

• Alternate side parking is not in effect after 3:30 pm,  on weekends, or major holidays.
• Pratt Avenue is a designated snow emergency route after 2 inches of snowfall; no parking is permitted. 
• The goal of Public Works is to plow curb to curb, and following alternate side parking allows the plows to find the curb and clear the snow. This prevents snow and ice buildup both on the street and in the parking zones. 

 Unfortunately, our plow operators are not able to direct snow away from specific driveways or garages. Plows are designed to push snow to the curb line to keep the roadway safe and passable, which can naturally result in some snow accumulating at driveway openings. 

Here are a few tips that may help reduce the amount of snow build-up at the end of your driveway:

• Shovel a pocket on the right side of your driveway (the side the plow approaches from). This gives snow from the plow a place to drop before it reaches your driveway opening. It's generally recommended to have a 5-8 foot pocket to reduce snow flow onto driveway aprons. 

• Clear the area near the curb after each plow pass, if conditions allow. This helps prevent buildup as the plow makes additional passes during the storm.

• Keep snow on your property, rather than pushing it back into the street. This helps us maintain clear roadways and maintain the roads with predictability. Snow being shoveled back on to plowed and treated streets creates opportunity for unknown icy patches. 

• Shovel early and often during long-duration storms so snow doesn’t compact or freeze at the driveway.