In light of recent weather forecasts of more snow for the region, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) offers tips for property owners who want to keep their driveways cleared when snow plows go by and may plow in driveway entrances. The technique is to place as much snow as possible from the end of your driveway downstream in the direction of traffic. Next, clear an area upstream from your driveway to form an open “pocket”. By shoveling or plowing snow in the same direction as traffic and making a snow collection “pocket,” the snow collected by the plows will accumulate in the “pocket” rather than into the driveway opening. This minimizes your inconvenience when a snowplow comes along after you’ve cleared your driveway. Mn/DOT would like to remind everyone, including commercial snow removal operators, that it is against state law to deposit snow onto a public roadway. Dumping or plowing snow onto a roadway can create a slippery area, frozen rut, or bump, which has the potential to contribute to a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident. Mn/DOT cautions anyone working close to a roadway to watch for ongoing traffic and warns drivers to be alert of individuals clearing snow. Minnesota Statute 160.27 and many local ordinances prohibit the plowing, blowing, shoveling or otherwise placing of snow from sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots onto public roadways, which can include the ditch and right-of-way in certain situations. The public is cautioned that violations are misdemeanors, and civil liability can extend to both the property owner and the person or company who placed the snow improperly.
