What you need to know about snow in West Fargo

By City of West Fargo

Snow Emergency Routes

Snow emergency routes serve a vital purpose in any city. They consist of a network of major and arterial roadways that can connect emergency responders to calls for service and to hospitals. If emergency responders reach a local road that is impassable, they are either equipped themselves to move snow or have planned for a snow plow to meet them to clear a path.

To ensure the Street Division of the Public Works Department can property maintain these roads during a major snow event, the City of West Fargo has enacted an ordinance. This allows the City of West Fargo to declare a snow emergency as soon as 3 inches or more of snow and ice buildup on the roads.

To be consistent across the metro area, the City of West Fargo will utilize a general standard operating procedure of declaring when 4 inches of snow has built up, but has the ability to declare as early as 3 inches, if necessary. The City will share a snow emergency declaration announcement on westfargond.gov, social media and with local news.

When a snow emergency is declared, vehicles cannot park on a snow emergency route. These routes are clearly marked with signs, or residents can visit the online snow emergency route map to check their address. Residents will have three hours after the emergency is declared to relocate their vehicles if parked on a snow emergency route.

Snowplow crews do not need to wait for a snow emergency declaration before clearing snow. However, when an emergency is declared, crews will work to clear snow emergency routes of snow and ice from curb to curb making it essential for vehicles to be removed from the road. This will not include snow removal from residential driveways or frontage roads adjacent to the route. Crews will stay focused on snow emergency routes for as long as snow is accumulating on the routes because of falling snow or blowing snow.

Snow Plow Safety

The City of West Fargo offers a Snow Plow Tracker on the website or through the West Fargo Gov app that allows residents to track the plows’ progress. Motorists on the road can help the drivers operate more safely and efficiently by following these rules:

• When a snow emergency is declared, vehicles cannot park on a snow emergency route. These routes are clearly marked with signs.

• Don’t crowd the plows. Stay at least five car lengths behind the plow, far from the snow fog.

• Practice caution when passing a snowplow. Snowplows can move sideways by snow drifts and hard snow packs.

• Stay alert as snowplows turn or exit roadways. Snowplows may travel over centerlines or partially into traffic to further improve road conditions.

• During inclement weather conditions, keep vehicles off the road to provide snowplow crews with room to operate safely and efficiently.

• Do not attempt to drive through impassable roads. This can lead to stranded vehicles and dangerous situations for residents.

• Following major snow storms, residents are encouraged to move vehicles off the streets and utilize all off-street parking, if possible. This allows plows to efficiently clear residential areas.

• Follow the City of West Fargo social media pages for updates during major snow events.