Snow Removal

Program Goals

The goal of our snow removal program is to provide effective snow and ice control on our streets keeping in mind safety, personnel, environmental concerns and budget.

Snow plow plowing snow

When Crews Plow

The city of Coon Rapids receives an average of 54 inches of snow a year. The snow removal crews generally do a full plowing of all City main streets, residential streets and sidewalks about 10 times per year (whenever a snowfall is 3 inches or more). During smaller snow events, crews plow main City streets with more traffic, but residential streets are not plowed.

During a full plowing event, crews plow over 400 lane miles of streets (over 200 miles of roadways, both directions, equals over 400 lane miles of plowing/driving), including 374 cul-de-sacs and other unique street configurations totaling 438 areas. Cul-de-sacs and these unique street areas require both large and small trucks to complete the plowing.

Keeping Ice Conditions at a Minimum

A salt mix is used on steep grades, high volume intersections, and curves when hazardous conditions occur. Ice control/salt treatments are used with consideration to need, effectiveness, cost, and environmental concerns. The ice control mix is a natural cornstarch-based material combined with salt. This mix is less corrosive and more environmentally friendly than other commonly used ice control mixes. The City does not use sand.

Streets Division crews also remove snow from bridges, medians and other confined locations when snow accumulates excessively and is responsible for clearing snow from city sidewalks once all roadways are cleared.