Street Department

Under the supervision of the Public Services Director, the Street Department is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of City roadways and related work.  

Typical Duties

• Effectively respond to citizen complaints and concerns
• Oversees maintenance and upkeep of:
  • Streets and Roadways
  • Curbs and Gutters
  • Ditches, Sidewalks and Alleys
  • Signage and Road Markings
  • Tree Trimming / Removal
  • Equipment and Motor Pool
• Coordinate efforts with Water & Sewer Dept. to resolve surface drainage issues and catch basin maintenance.

Winter Plowing Procedure

The Street Department shifts to its winter operations schedule in early December, or earlier if weather conditions require it.

Night Shift Operations

Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. (4 employees)
The night shift typically begins the first Sunday of December but may start sooner depending on snowfall.

• Priority 1: State Trunkline (35 lane miles)
  Night-shift crews focus first on the State Trunkline, which includes:

  • I-75 Business Spur from the I-75 on/off ramps at 3 Mile Road

  • Ashmun Street to Portage Avenue

  • East Portage Avenue to Ferry Dock Road

  • M-129 from 3 Mile Road to the Business Spur

• Priority 2: Major Streets (63 lane miles)
  Major streets are also primarily plowed by night-shift staff, with special emphasis in school zones, around the hospital, and near fire stations.

Day Shift Operations

Hours: Monday–Friday, 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (10 employees)

• Priority 3: Local Streets (116 lane miles)
  Seven employees are assigned to plow local streets each day.

• Parking Lots & Alleys
  Two employees operate front-end loaders to clear City-maintained parking lots first, then proceed to alleys.

• Sidewalks (22 miles)
  One employee is assigned to sidewalk clearing using a plow-equipped pickup and a sidewalk blower. Priority areas include school routes and the I-75 Business Spur.

  • This route typically requires up to three days to complete, depending on snowfall.

  • Sidewalk plowing is a lower priority, and this employee is the first reassigned when staffing is needed for street routes.

  • If additional staff are absent, parking lot and alley personnel are reassigned to plowing routes, and those areas are cleared later in the day or the following day.

Heavy Snowfall & Overtime

Operations are adjusted based on snowfall amounts. During significant snow events, day-shift staff may be reassigned to help plow, salt, and sand the State Trunkline and major streets before returning to local streets. This may require overtime to complete all routes.

On-Call Coverage

A voluntary on-call rotation of four or more Street Department employees ensures that one staff member is always available outside regular hours. The rotation is weekly.

Severe Weather Response

During major storm events, both shifts may be scheduled for 12-hour shifts to maintain continuous coverage, depending on personnel availability.