Let It Snow: Brochure Explains Village's Plow and Salt Procedures

After Mother Nature clobbered us with the season’s first accumulating snowfall of the season last Sunday, we received 98 Facebook reviews of the village’s snow removal efforts:

“Haven't seen a salt truck!!!! Bridgeview was salted very nice had to go to menards on way back down 91st street seem 3 crashes on 91st street.”

“I drove slow, pumped the breaks, and still had trouble stopping. 52nd and 91st was solid ice.”

“Just came to Christ Hospital. 95th St. seems untouched.”

“Lets not play the blame game. How about we slow down and learn to adapt to conditions. Everyone is so ready to point the finger.”

Much to our delight, the village provided Patch with a little known “Snow Command” brochure produced by Oak Lawn Public Works.

The brochure explains how public works attacks various snow events, which include anti-icing measures, de-icing measures, plowing or a combination of all the above.

READ THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DEC. 11, 2013

What made Sunday’s snow event unique was that snow and/or ice continued falling for 12-plus hours, according to public works.

The village’s first priority is plow and/or salt the state highway routes (U.S. 12-20/95th St.,  U.S. 50/Cicero Ave.).

Following the state highways, in order of priority, are:

• Major snow routes

• Minor snow routes

• all other village streets

Also, the area of 103rd Street between Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road falls is plowed by the Cook County Highways Dept.

The village has designated snow routes, on which cars are prohibited from parking after one-inch of snowfall.

In addition, there is an odd-even ordinance in place for side streets. If a snow emergency is enacted, cars may not park on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered calendar days, and visa versa.

Public works has divided Oak Lawn’s 8.7 square miles of streets into 13 sections or quadrants, by which it organizes plowing, de-icing and anti-icing.

Residents are responsible for clearing their own sidewalks and driveways, but don’t toss snow into the roadway, which is illegal and unsafe.

To find out if a snow emergency has been declared or if odd/even restrictions have been put in place, check the village website or Ch. 4, unless you live in Dist. 2, in which there is a good chance that your power has gone out.

We’ve posted the “Snow Command” brochure with this story. Up until this week, we didn’t even know that it existed.

The village’s senior snow shoveling program is always looking for more volunteers. If you’re a college student home for the holidays, or your youngster needs confirmation service hours, give Sgt. Jim Pacetti, of the Oak Lawn Police Department, a call at 708-499-7880 or shoot him an email, jpacetti@oaklawn-il.gov.