Snow Removal

Snow, a fact of life for us in northern Illinois. It is inevitable that we will see some amount of snow in Northfield Township this winter.

The Northfield Township Road District is committed to providing the residents of the Township with efficient and thorough snow removal service, ensuring their safe travel within the Township streets.

The Township begins salting when the snow starts to accumulate and traffic safety is affected. Salt, as bothersome as it can be, is the most cost efficient/effective tool in keeping snow and ice from making streets impassable. When salt comes in contact with anything wet, it dilutes into its basic components, sodium ions and chloride ions, causing frozen water to melt. The effectiveness of road salt depends on several factors: traffic volume, type of pavement (concrete or asphalt), shade patterns and, most importantly, temperature. The closer the temperature is to freezing, the faster and more efficient salt is. When the mercury drops below 24° F, salt effectiveness begins to diminish and loses its melting ability at 6° F below zero. Salt's effectiveness also is reduced, or even eliminated altogether, by freezing rain which washes the salt off the pavement and dissolves it.

The Township starts plowing after the snow reaches 1-1/2 to 2 inches. Township trucks will travel each route four times (twice in each direction) under a “normal” snow storm, and will complete a plowing operation in 3 to 4 hours. Ideally, snow should come down following the evening rush hour, be finished by midnight, and allow the crews to begin cleaning the streets by 2 or 3AM to take advantage of the overnight parking ban. Snowfalls that come during the morning or evening rush hours are especially difficult. The longer it takes a plow or salt truck to get to its section, the longer the snow or ice removal operation lasts.

You can help the Township crews clear the roadways as quickly as possible by not parking vehicles on the street when snow removal operations are in progress.