Snow and Ice

Find out about snow and ice procedures, guidelines, and shoveling tips for safe community navigation in the City of Chattanooga.

Jump to:

Snow And Ice Management

  • With the threat of winter weather, primary routes, bridges, tunnels, and higher elevations are typically treated with salt brine to prevent snow and ice accumulation
  • During actual accumulation, trucks use rock salt and snow plows to clear streets.The Public Works Department prioritizes and treats roads as primary routes (arterial streets), hospitals, and emergency operation facilities first.Then trucks will work to treat and clear secondary routes (collector streets) that feed into the principal arterial routes
  • If the event is large enough and crews clear primary and secondary routes, they will begin clearing tertiary routes (residential streets)
  • During these events, the Public Works Department also coordinates closely with emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance services to respond effectively and efficiently

 

Route Types and Treatment Priorities

Route TypeDescriptionTreatment Priority
Primary RoutesStreets providing access to fire stations, hospitals, police stations, and schoolsTreated first to ensure traffic flow and safe travel for emergency operations
Secondary RoutesStreets within residential areasSalted following the completion of primary routes in regards to treatment and plowing
Tertiary RoutesStreets with little vehicle traffic, which may include alleywaysSalted following the completion of secondary routes regarding treatment and plowing

Guidelines

Citizens may contact 311 at (423) 643-6311 with questions

Plow operators work around the clock during snow events to ensure safe roadways. Operators are instructed to plow affected roadways as close to the curb with minimum passes

The city will not plow public or private sidewalks, private driveways, or assist abandoned vehicles unless authorized by management. All freeway entrances / exits as well as Highway 153, Highway 27, Interstate 75, and Interstate 24 are treated by TDOT (Tennessee Department of Transportation)

Pretreatment operations begin the day before snow is forecast, and then change to snow or ice removal with plows and rock salt when snow begins to accumulate

Snow and ice accumulation are treated using a mixture of road salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), and calcium chloride (CaCI2)

 Snow Shoveling Guideline & Tips

  • Citizens should not place shoveled snow in streets or roadways
  • All snow should be placed within the property itself
  • Do not use sand as it makes hardened ice more slippery and can get into drainage
  • Businesses can apply ice melting agents to sidewalks to clear crosswalks and also corner ramps allowing access for those in a wheelchair
  • Use ice melting agents that contain calcium chloride (CaCl2) which do not kill plants and trees
A large truck with a load of ice melting agents parked on the side of the road, undergoing salt treatment.

Contact Us

Public Works
Call
(423) 643-6311 (423) 643-6311