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City operations
How Naperville plows city streets
Understand Naperville’s priority plowing system, which streets are addressed first, and what residents can expect as crews move from major routes into neighborhoods.
How city plowing works Naperville Winter Guide
Know what happens when the snow starts.
Who plows your street? Why is there a wall of snow at the end of your driveway? What happens downtown? And which roads are actually maintained by the City?
This guide brings together practical Naperville-specific winter information for residents, property owners and businesses — whether or not you ever hire a private snow-removal service.
01 Winter in Naperville
A local system worth understanding.
Snow removal in Naperville is not one operation. It is a combination of municipal street maintenance, state and county road maintenance, property-owner responsibilities and private snow-removal work.
The City of Naperville reports responsibility for salting and plowing more than 1,500 lane miles of roadway during winter weather. It uses a priority system rather than attempting to clear every street simultaneously.
Major traffic routes receive attention before residential side streets. Cul-de-sacs, alleys and dead ends follow later in the process.
Meanwhile, some of the roads Naperville residents use every day — including major corridors through the city — may fall under state or county jurisdiction instead.
Understanding those boundaries makes winter a little less confusing. It also helps explain why your street, driveway, sidewalk and nearby arterial road may all receive snow attention at different times and from different organizations.
Naperville winter operations
The citywide job is substantial.
1,500+ lane miles
of roadway handled by Naperville during winter weather
4.5 hours
the City says it takes to completely salt all City streets
3 priority stages
moving from main routes to residential streets and lower-priority areas
Operational figures are based on current information published by the City of Naperville. Procedures and figures can change as City operations evolve.
Local winter resources
Start with the question you actually have.
These guides focus on the parts of Naperville winter operations that directly affect residents and property owners.
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Road jurisdiction
Who plows Naperville roads?
Not every major road running through Naperville is maintained by the City. Learn how City, county and state road responsibilities differ.
See who maintains which roads03
For homeowners
Why the plow leaves snow at your driveway
Street plows can leave dense snow at the driveway apron even after you have already cleared your property. Here is why it happens and how to plan for it.
Understand driveway-apron snow04
Parking
Parking during snow in Naperville
Street parking can interfere with snow-removal operations. Review the local considerations that matter when winter weather arrives.
Read the parking guide City snow plowing
Main roads come before neighborhood streets.
Naperville uses a priority system to move traffic through the city before crews focus on progressively smaller and lower-volume streets.
Read the full city-plowing guide- 1 First priority
Arterial & main streets
Major traffic routes are addressed first so higher-volume travel corridors can remain as passable as conditions allow.
- 2 Second priority
Residential side streets
Crews move into neighborhood streets after priority routes have received attention.
- 3 Following areas
Cul-de-sacs, alleys & dead ends
These areas require additional maneuvering and can be more difficult to clear because there is less room to place snow.
Road jurisdiction
A Naperville address doesn't mean Naperville plows the road.
Several of the city's most recognizable roads are maintained by agencies other than the City of Naperville.
That matters when you're trying to understand why one road has been treated differently from another or which agency should receive a road-related concern.
Full Naperville road-jurisdiction guide State
Illinois Department of Transportation
Includes major state routes such as Ogden Avenue / US 34 and Route 59.
County
DuPage County
Maintains several major roads and road segments in the DuPage County portion of Naperville.
County
Will County
Maintains specified roads and road segments in and around southern Naperville.
Local
City of Naperville
Maintains the City's extensive municipal street network and operates the local priority plowing system.
At your property
The plow passes. Your work may not be finished.
One of the most frustrating parts of a snow event happens after a homeowner has already cleared the driveway.
Street plows move snow toward the edge of the roadway. As a plow passes a driveway, that moving snow can be deposited across the driveway entrance, creating the dense ridge commonly called a driveway windrow or apron pile.
Cul-de-sacs can present an additional challenge because there is less parkway space available for crews to place snow without affecting driveways, mailboxes, streetlights or fire hydrants.
During a snow event
A few things Naperville asks property owners to do.
Municipal snow operations work better when streets remain accessible and snow from private property stays out of the roadway.
Keep vehicles off the street
The City asks residents not to park on streets during winter snow events because vehicles interfere with plowing and leave uncleared areas behind.
Don't shovel snow into the road
Snow from private property should not be deposited into public streets or alleys. Doing so can create hazardous roadway conditions.
Keep sidewalks passable
Property owners are responsible for keeping adjacent sidewalks open for public passage in accordance with Naperville's snow-clearing requirements.
Keep important areas accessible
The City recommends clearing around fire hydrants, utility meters and mailboxes so they remain accessible after snowfall.
Official resources
For live conditions, go to the City.
Naperville maintains official tools and notification systems for active winter operations. Those sources should be used for current municipal conditions rather than relying on a private snow-removal website for real-time government updates.
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Interactive snow-removal map
The City provides a map showing streets that have been salted or plowed during winter operations.
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Naper Notify
Residents can subscribe to the City's Winter Operations notification category for weather-related service information.
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Naperville Public Works
Public Works handles City snow and ice operations and provides official information about municipal winter services.
Public vs. private
Where municipal snow removal ends.
City plowing and private snow-removal service solve different problems.
Public agencies maintain the roads under their jurisdiction. Property owners remain responsible for the private areas of their property and other obligations that apply to them.
For homeowners, that can mean the driveway, garage approach and sidewalks. For businesses and other commercial properties, it can mean parking lots, private drives, entrances, pedestrian areas and ice management.
Winter FAQ
Naperville snow questions
These answers summarize current City guidance. For active municipal operations and current conditions, use official City of Naperville resources.
Does the City of Naperville plow every road in Naperville?
No. Although Naperville maintains a large local street network, some major roads are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation, DuPage County or Will County. Examples include portions or all of Route 59, Ogden Avenue, 75th Street, 95th Street and Plainfield/Naperville Road.
Which streets does Naperville plow first?
The City uses a priority system. Main traffic routes are addressed first, followed by residential side streets, with cul-de-sacs, alleys and dead ends following later in the operation.
Can I see whether my street has been plowed?
The City of Naperville provides an interactive snow-removal map that residents can use to view streets that have been salted or plowed during winter operations.
Should I park on the street during a snow event?
The City asks residents not to park on the street during winter snow events because parked vehicles obstruct plows and can leave large areas of snow and ice behind.
Do Naperville property owners have to clear sidewalks?
Naperville requires property owners to keep adjacent sidewalks open for public passage. Current City guidance says sidewalks must be cleared within 48 hours of a qualifying weather event.
Private-property snow removal
The City handles the street. What about your property?
If you need help with a Naperville driveway, residential property, parking lot or commercial site, tell us about the property and the service you're looking for.