The Village of Newberry prioritizes snow removal to ensure safe travel on streets, sidewalks, and emergency routes during winter weather events. This overview from the Village explains how plowing, snow removal, and hauling are prioritized so residents understand the order of operations and potential delays, especially for alleys and low-priority areas.
VILLAGE OF NEWBERRY – SNOW REMOVAL OVERVIEW
We have received numerous complaints and concerns regarding the amount of snow at intersections and along rights-of-way. We understand and share the same concerns. Village staff are working to push back, clear, and haul snow to ensure safe travel on our streets and sidewalks. We hope that this information sheet will help residents better understand how the Village currently prioritizes efforts related to snow removal.
SNOW REMOVAL PRIORITY LIST
The Village uses the following priority list when determining work assignments. If there is an active snow event, then the crew starts with clearing priority one (1) then as it moves down the list. If all streets and alleys have been plowed and there is no active need for additional plowing, then activities listed under six (6) and seven (7) become the main work assignment.
Emergency Routes.
a. Streets that provide access to and between HNJH and the Luce County Ambulance Building
Major Streets and Local Streets.
Priority alleys.
a. North/South Alley between E Avenue C and Railroad Street and North/South Alley between W. McMillan and Helen Street.
i. These are priority due to some residents not having access to their homes from Newberry Avenue.
Regular alleys.
a. Alleys that provide access to more than one home
Low priority alleys.
a. Alleys that are considered abandoned (no longer developed or maintained during the summer) by the Village and often only provide access to one home in the winter.
Pushing back snow piles.
a. Intersections and rights-of-way.
Hauling Snow.
a. Intersections, Safe Routes to School sidewalks, fire hydrants, street rights-of-way, and other areas with limited visibility due to excess snow.
Newberry Avenue rights-of-way for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). MDOT must first approve the Village to incur expenses for removing snow along M123. Once the Village receives permission, removal is prioritized as listed on this sheet.
*PLEASE NOTE – Streets are prioritized. This means that plows clear all the streets first before any alleys.
• This can leave “berms” of snow along alley entrances for significant amounts of time.
• Once the streets are clear, plows begin clearing alleys.
a. There can be a span of 1 to 5 hours or more between the time the first street is plowed and the alleys are cleared.
b. This is why folks may experience blocked alley entrances and assume that the alley will not be plowed.
• Village crews work diligently to keep up with the snow.
a. There are four staff responsible for all snow plowing/hauling.
b. Staff work holidays, weekends, and overtime hours when there are active snow events.
c. If there is an active snow event the priority shifts from hauling snow to focusing on activities at the top of the priority list.
We ask for continued patience and understanding during the winter months. If you have questions or concerns related to snow removal, please email: awatkins@newberrymi.gov
. Please note: communication that includes profanity or excessive derogatory language will not receive a response.
