Winter Operations

Salt

City crews start applying salt to roadways as soon as snow or ice begins to accumulate. 

Rock Salt is an efficient and cost-effective method for small amounts of winter precipitation. 

The amount of salt used depends on accumulation, temperature and road conditions. 

DID YOU KNOW? DPW has a salt dome capable of holding 12,000 tons of salt.

Plowing

Naperville has established a priority plowing system so that the main traffic routes are plowed first. The goal is to clear all streets within 15 hours after snow stops falling; however, heavier snows often take longer to clear.

Crews begin an all-out, two-phase plowing operation once 2 inches of snow have accumulated on paved services and snow is still falling. 

Phase 1

Arterial and main streets are plowing in the first phase of snow removal. 

Phase 2

Residential side streets, cul-de-sacs, alleys and dead ends are cleared in the second phase.

QUICK FACT: Cul-de-sacs are more difficult to clear than through streets as there is less space in parkways to dump snow without burying driveways, mailboxes, streetlights or fire hydrants.

Naperville has 1,500 miles of roadway and 1,200 cul-de-sacs to clear