Show All Answers

1. What does the City do to prepare for winter weather?

When snow is in the forecast, crews apply a salt brine solution to major thoroughfares 48 to 72 hours in advance of predicted precipitation. The brine helps prevent snow from sticking to the pavement and makes plowing and additional salting more effective.

The Police Department, Fire Department, and road crews check vehicles and equipment and put emergency staff on stand-by notice in case they are needed.

The City begins sharing weather-related closings or service modifications via social media using #AlamanceSnow and via our website at www.BurlingtonNC.gov/WinterWX.

2. How does the City determine which streets are cleared first?

Major thoroughfares vital to emergency services are cleared first, followed by secondary thoroughfares. These secondary thoroughfares are streets that are both heavily traveled and provide access to major thoroughfares.  Residential streets are plowed only after the main priority streets have been cleared. The order in which residential streets are plowed is determined by the City's sanitation schedule. Streets on the next scheduled sanitation route will be cleared first.

To keep our snow removal operations as effective and efficient as possible, plows are not permitted to deviate from their assigned routes. Any life-treating situations will be addressed by appropriate emergency services personnel.

3. What equipment does the City of Burlington have for snow removal?

As we typically only experience a few winter storms a year, the City uses dump trucks affixed with scrapper blades to plow the streets. We have 18 “snow plows” and 2 motor graders available. 

4. What about the snow pile the City trucks leave at the end of my driveway?

When snowplows clear the streets in your area, extra snow can collect along the curb and in driveways. Since it would drastically slow the snow removal process, our crews are not able to remove snow from residential or commercial driveway entrances, parking lots, or sidewalks. If needed, please shovel off the extra snow in your driveway and place it near the curb or in your yard. If you put it back in the street, plows could push it back into your driveway when they come by again.

5. Will the City scrape sidewalks?

No. Sidewalks are the responsibility of the resident.

6. What can I do to help my neighbors?

Able-bodied residents are strongly encouraged to assist elderly and disabled neighbors in opening up their walks and driveways for them. The easiest way to do this is to offer to help if you know you have neighbors or community members that could use a helping hand.

7. A snowplow hit my mailbox, now what?

We are sorry! Sometimes mailboxes are a causality of snow removal. We’ll take your name and number and contact your after the snow event. Call 336-222-5005 and leave your information.

8. I live on a cul-de-sace and I haven't been plowed out yet. Why not?

There are about 350 cul-de-sacs in the City and removing snow from these lower-volume streets in the beginning of a snow event would prevent the City from clearing higher-volume streets for motorists that must travel them.

Once plows do make it to cul-de-sacs, there are very few places to push the snow without blocking driveways, mailboxes, fire hydrants, and storm drain inlets. Drivers will do their best, but please be aware of the challenges they face in cul-de-sac snow removal.