The City of St. Cloud, through its Public Works Department, provides snow and ice control services for the city. Utilizing city employees and private contractors, the city plows and removes snow from streets, alleys, city / state-owned sidewalks, and municipal parking lots.
The strategy used to plow streets, sidewalks and other city facilities depends on the interaction of several factors:
- Time the snow began
- Duration of snowfall
- Type of snow - light/dry or wet/heavy
- Temperature before and after snowfall
- High winds - drifting
- Snow accumulation
- Available equipment (breakdowns)
- Available staff
Another procedure the city has utilized is called anti-icing. When weather allows, a liquid mixture is applied to the arterial roads. This liquid prevents buildup of ice and compacted snow on the roadways, helping achieve better snow removal from those roads.
Despite what can seem like a complex process, the goal of the city's plowing efforts is simple: to maintain safe travel for pedestrians and vehicles throughout St. Cloud.