A little patience and a cooperative attitude are essential ingredients for getting through the winter plowing season. We can reduce frustrations that sometimes accompany winter snowstorms when we all work together. Here are our "Top 10 Tips" for surviving the winter plowing season.
- Observe the City of Lebanon’s winter parking regulations. Don’t park your car on the street between midnight and 6:00 AM. Each city maintained parking lot has parking restrictions listed on signs; please read these carefully as each one is different from the other. This not only ensures more effective plowing but also helps you avoid a citation.
- Residents may find it less frustrating to wait until plow trucks have completed plowing their street before cleaning the end of their driveway. City plow units are designed to discharge snow to the sides of the road and are not capable of skipping driveways.
- Snow from the bottom of the driveway should be shoveled to the right as you’re facing the street. Clearing snow before your driveway will greatly reduce the snow berm being placed in your driveway during the next plowing.
- Residents hiring contractors to plow their driveways should remind them to review state and local laws that prohibit pushing or placing snow back into or across the street. Doing so not only creates hazards for drivers, but also makes it difficult for the city to keep the streets clean. Also, watch out for sidewalk openings; if your contractor fills them in, they are required to reopen/clear them.
- Residents should clear snow from their mailbox area after each plowing. Snow that remains in front of mailboxes will get compacted by post office vehicles and make subsequent plowing less effective.
- If you have curbside trash/recycling pickup, and the day coincides with plowing activities, make sure your trash can and recycling bin are well behind the curb or in the driveway so the plow will not hit them.
- Residents who have experience sod damage in the past may wish to mark their yard line with flexible stakes or lathe. This will help the plow operators avoid future damage.
- Don’t allow children to play near or build snow forts and tunnels in the snow banks adjacent to the curbs. It can be difficult for the plow operators to see children.
- Keep sleds, toys, and basketball hoops away from the street.
- Residents are encouraged to “adopt a fire hydrant” near their home and keep snow shoveled away from it. This will ensure that hydrants are accessible in case of an emergency.
Please call Public Works at 603-448-3112 or email dpw@lebcity.com for more information about any of the winter survival tips.