The department’s top priority is reacting to the prevailing weather conditions in order to maintain public safety on 124+ miles of Town road. Plowing, sanding, and salting are the backbone of our program, and coupled with experienced drivers, the residents of DeWitt are seldom “snow bound”. It takes an average of 4 hours to make one full pass through the Town. This first pass is typically completed before school buses need to be in neighborhoods and before the morning commute. (School personnel and Highway personnel are in constant communication to ensure the safety of everyone involved in school transportation.)

It is a fact that when a plow pushes snow it creates a windrow at the edge of its path. Snow gets put in all the driveways, and it is impossible for the town to retrace a route and clear these windrows. When the snow banks get too high and reduce visibility, they are cut back, or hauled away. As a courtesy to the residents, the Highway Department will repair damage caused by snow removal operations. This includes lawns and possibly the mailbox. Please contact the Highway Department at (315) 437-8331 to report any damage. The area will be examined and scheduled for repair as soon as is practical.

We cannot prevent the snow from collecting at the end of your driveway, but there are several ways property owners can work with the Town to minimize the inconvenience of snow removal:

• Do not leave garbage cans or recycling bins in the path of the snow plow.  Keep them in your driveway, well back from the road. 
• Stake the edge(s) of your lawn.  
• Mailboxes and posts are replaced only if hit by our snowplow equipment, so check your mailbox, newspaper box and the supporting posts in the fall:  perform the “shake test”.  If the post is already “shaky”, chances are the post is unstable in the ground, and will not withstand the pressure of flying snow.  Check your mailbox for loose or missing parts.  Replacement mailboxes are standard black or white metal boxes, installed on a wooden 4x4 post.  The Town is not responsible for replacing designer boxes, posts or any style of newspaper box.  (if you have such a box, you may want to consider removing it for the winter months and replacing it with a standard box) Boxes need to be installed per US Post Office regulations.
• If you utilize the services of a private snow removal service, make sure you and your contractor are in agreement with the needs of your household. We cannot coordinate town wide snow removal with private snow plow contractors.  (remember that it is illegal to move snow across a public road or deposit snow on property that is not your own without permission)
• There is no overnight parking on any DeWitt streets from November 1 to April 1.  Should you encounter “getting stuck“ during the night, or need to abandon your vehicle for mechanical reasons, remember to contact 911 to alert local Police of the vehicles location.  
• Drive carefully:  allow extra time and distance for stopping. 
• Be considerate of snow removal equipment:  Allow as much room as possible.    
• Educate your children to the dangers of making tunnels and playing on or near roadside snow banks.

Town of DeWitt Snow Removal Laws

Snow Plow Tips & Information

• The plow routes within the Town take an average of 4 hours to complete, and the drivers typically start around 3:30 AM.
• It is illegal to pass a vehicle using the shoulder of the road.
• Don’t crowd the plow—give them room to work. The plows are wide and may cross the centerline or shoulder.
• Don’t tailgate and try not to pass, If you must pass, take extreme caution.  
• Snowplows travel below the posted speed limit—be patient.
• A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them but they may not see you.
  Please stay a safe distance behind the snowplow.  Keep your distance and watch for sudden stops, turns and backing up.
• On multiple lane roads, watch for snowplows operating in either lane.
• Snowplows can throw up a cloud of snow that can reduce your visibility to zero in less time than you   can react. Never drive into a snow cloud - it could conceal a snowplow.
• Be aware of the extreme danger of snow tunnels built along the roadside, or in snow storage areas.       
  Plow drivers cannot see children playing inside them and the force of additional snow accumulating may cause cave-ins. 

Mailbox Repair

As a courtesy, the Highway Department will assist with mailbox repair if the Town of Dewitt snow plow has hit the mailbox or post. 

Call Highway at (315) 437-8331 to report as soon as you notice an issue and we will visit the site as soon as the weather allows.  

The Town will not make repairs to mailboxes which are unable to withstand the force of snow or that are improperly installed.
Also those mailbox posts that have rotted due to Mother Nature’s contribution, as well those that have been struck by other vehicles (esp. Private Plow Contractors).  

The Town is not responsible for replacing designer boxes, posts, or any style of newspaper boxes.
(If you have such a mailbox, you may want to consider removing it for the winter months and replacing it with a standard box).
Contact your post office to make temporary arrangements for mail service.   

Overnight Parking

Overnight parking (between the hours of 2 AM and 6 AM) on streets and roadways is prohibited in the Town of DeWitt from November 1^st, through April 1^st. 
This regulation is not weather dependent, or suspended during vacations.