Street snow removal operations will begin when there has been a snowfall of more than 2.5 inches or if other conditions warrant plowing. Sidewalk snow removal will occur when there has been a snowfall of one inch or more with the goal of completing all residential sidewalks within 8 hours of a snowfall. Crews will begin plowing as soon as the storm subsides. City streets are divided into ten districts, with plows assigned to each district. Arterial streets will be cleared first, followed by residential streets. The snowplow must make several passes up and down the street to remove the snow; two to clear the center and two or more to widen the street gutter to gutter. Because plowing routes are sometimes long, it may be one hour or more between the clearing pass and the final widening pass. No parking is allowed on any City street between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. or for more than 6 consecutive hours at any other time. Try not to park on streets, especially during and after a snowfall.

 

Snow Event Notification

If a snow event is declared the following notification will be sent to those who signed up to receive alerts. See verbiage below: "The City of Brooklyn Center has declared a snow event of 2 ½ inches or more. Parking restrictions will take effect beginning at (time) on (month, day, year). No on-street parking until the roads are plowed curb to curb. Vehicles not removed are subject to the issuance of a citation as well as towing to allow for snow plowing.

Mailboxes–Installation and Damage

Standard mailbox and post installations meeting U.S. Postal regulations are allowed within the boulevard area. You should check your mailbox and post-installation each year to prevent problems that typically occur during the winter months making repairs difficult and causing a delay in mail delivery. Check mailbox posts for signs of rotting wood or rusted metal. Typically, when a post has been in the ground for a few years, a wood post will rot off and a metal post will rust at the base. Rotted, rusted, or unstable installations need to be replaced with a sturdy 4" x 4" post and the mailbox and paper box must be installed a minimum of 45" above the street surface to accommodate the height of the plow. The City will repair or replace properly installed mailboxes that are damaged by direct contact with snow removal equipment. The City will not assume responsibility for damage simply caused by snow pressure.

Boulevard Maintenance

Residents are reminded that by City Ordinance items such as landscape rocks, sprinkler systems, fences, bollards, timbers, shrubs, retaining walls, gardens, and large permanent mailbox installations (constructed of concrete, brick, wood, etc.) are not allowed on the boulevard, that is, from the edge of the street back 10-15 feet. The boulevard area is reserved for snow storage and for utility placements. On occasion objects in the boulevard are damaged during winter snowplowing operations when they are struck by heavy snow and ice or snowplowing equipment. The City cannot accept responsibility for private property located on City right-of-way and will not repair or replace immovable or movable items placed in these areas. Property owners should remove items or place them at least ten feet behind the curb line or the edge of the street.

Child Safety

Please remind your children not to build snow forts or play in the snow piles made by the plows. The plow operators often cannot see children in the snowbanks, and they could be buried in the snow or seriously hurt.

Stay Back from the Plow

Never pass a snowplow. They create dangerous snow clouds that not only contain snow but road debris such as rocks and sand. When driving, allow ample distance between your vehicle and the snowplow. Snow conditions often require that the snowplow driver stop and back up before continuing; this can create a potential accident when vehicles follow too closely.

Garbage/Recycling Containers

Garbage and recycling containers must be placed so they are accessible for pickup, but during the snow season, they may not be placed on the road or on the sidewalk. To assist snowplowing operations, please place your containers in the driveway.

Driveways

We apologize in advance for plugged driveways, which are unavoidable side effects of well-plowed streets and sidewalks. To reduce the frustration of shoveling out the end of your driveway twice, we suggest you wait until the street is plowed to its full width before tackling the windrow of snow left by plows.

Keep Fire Hydrants Clear

Please help keep fire hydrants clear of snow. In the event of a fire, valuable time may be lost if the fire department has to locate and/or remove snow from a hydrant.

Report Snowy or Icy Road Conditions

Public Works Garage
Monday-Friday
7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
(763) 585-7100

After-Hours Emergency: 911 (the dispatcher will contact the appropriate on-call service staff)