What streets get plowed first?

Snow plow drivers in Cedar Rapids took to the streets early on Thursday to push the first significant snowfall of the winter off main roads and side streets.

But the all out snow removal effort brings up the question-who gets plowed out first?  City officials say main streets always have the plowing priority.  But after that, the answer isn't quite so clear.

Cedar Rapids Public Works Maintenance Manager Craig Hanson said it's not who you are or who you know-but it's where you live that really determines when your residential street gets plowed.  Cedar Rapids is carved up into 55 separate territories for plowing and after doing the top priority main roads, it's up to each individual snow plow driver where to start and where to finish.

Motor grader operator Doug McArtor has plowed the same northeast side Cedar Rapids neighborhood for eight years.  And every time it snows, he'll follow the same basic pattern.  McArtor said after clearing the main roads he, like most drivers, will put streets around schools as the next priority.

“We try to work with buses, stuff like that.  I had to clear a couple of streets so buses could get up them, you know,” McArtor said.

Each plowing territory for drivers contains about 10 to 12 total miles of streets.  A plow, in an urban area like Cedar Rapids, can usually clear about one to two miles of streets per hour.  McArtor's route has a lot of hills on the side streets.  So he'll tackle those streets before hitting the flatter areas.  Jueseppi Baker lives at the bottom of one hill-so McArtor's plowing plan works to his benefit.

“I know he comes through pretty early after there is a snow,” Baker said.

Supervisors may assign territories for plow drivers, but leave it up to up to experienced drivers how best to plan their route.  Since motor graders have a blade only on the right side of the vehicle, McArtor likes to run his route so he makes as many right turns as possible.  That way he doesn't need to lift the blade off the street so often.

Hanson said the city occasionally gets complaints from residents who want to know why their street gets plowed later in the day.  Hanson said he tries to explain that somebody has to be first…and somebody last.

“It comes down to trying to do our best and get it done in the most efficient and effective manner,” Hanson said.

Hanson insists no individual gets priority plowing-and drivers don't play favorites with the homes of city leaders.  But he said there are some exceptions for medical needs.  Occasionally, drivers learn of people on their routes who need kidney dialysis or have similar requirements for guaranteed access to medical care.  In those few cases, those residential streets go higher up the list to plow first.