Click here to view the City of Lakewood Snow & Ice Control Plan.

City of Lakewood Snow and Ice Control:

The City of Lakewood’s snow and ice control efforts promote safe vehicular travel during the winter months. The City attempts safe passage on all city streets at all times. However, keep in mind that each snowfall presents different conditions that impact the snow and ice removal process, such as the rate and accumulation of snowfall, moisture content, temperature, time of day or night, wind direction and speed and the duration of the storm, with the result that no two storms are ever identical.

The City of Lakewood is responsible for snow and ice control for a total of 228 lane miles (i.e. Clifton Blvd has six lanes plus one turn lane = 22 total miles).

Streets are treated and plowed based on three categories of route priorities: primary, secondary, and residential. All routes are treated by priority beginning with primary, then secondary, and finally residential.

• Primary routes include major thoroughfares, emergency routes, designated hills, and bridges. Primary routes will be continuously treated and plowed until a bare pavement condition exists.
• Secondary routes are roadways collecting traffic and leading to major thoroughfares, traffic signal locations, and other areas necessary for the delivery of public services. Secondary routes will be continuously treated and plowed until a bare pavement condition exists.
• Residential routes are all other remaining streets. While a bare pavement condition is desirable on residential routes, the City utilizes Sensible Salting practices whenever possible to reduce salt usage and pollution of local waterways while ensuring safe conditions. As a result, during certain snow and ice events salting may be limited to areas proximate to and through intersections.

Click here to view the Snow & Ice Priorities Map.

Public parking lots and facilities will be treated as necessary depending on operational schedules for the use of such facilities.

Click here for Snow Removal FAQs.

More information about snow removal:

• Salt Reduction Strategy

Whenever there is snow fall of four (4) inches or more within a twenty-four (24) hour period, the emergency snow ban takes effect. The snow ban restrictions on parking take effect without requiring an announcement by the City of Lakewood. In the event of a snowfall of four inches or more, parking is not permitted on streets posted as emergency snow ban streets. Motorists should always consult the posted signs, and be advised that in the event of a snowfall of four inches or more, the emergency snow parking bans will be enforced.

The Emergency Snow Parking Ban streets are as follows:

• Alger Road (Warren Rd to Lakewood Heights Blvd)
• Athens Avenue (Carabel Ave to Belle Ave)
• Belle Avenue (Clifton Blvd to Madison Ave)
• Berea Road (W. 117th St to Lakewood Heights Blvd)
• Bunts Road (Clifton Blvd to Lakewood Heights Blvd)
• Clifton Boulevard (Webb Rd to W. 117th St)
• Delaware Avenue (W. Terminus to Brown Rd)
• Detroit Avenue (Gridley to W. 117th)
• Hilliard Road (Riverside Dr to Madison Ave)
• Lake Avenue (Webb Rd to W. 117th St)
• Lakewood Heights Boulevard (Woodward Ave to Clarence Ave)
• Madison Avenue (Riverside Dr to W. 117th St)
• Riverside Drive (Detroit Ave to Ogontz Ave)
• W. 117th Street (Edgewater Dr to Berea Rd)
• W. Clifton Blvd (Clifton Blvd to Riverside Dr)
• Warren Road (Clifton Boulevard to Lakewood Heights Boulevard

Lakewood Codified Ordinance 351.26 contains the provisions of the emergency snow parking bans.

Map of Emergency Snow Parking Ban Streets »

During an emergency snow parking ban, residents without other parking, may park for free in the municipal parking lots.  Click the link below for a map of the available parking lots.

List of Municipal Parking Lots which may be used during an Emergency Snow Parking Ban »

Residents and businesses are urged to do their part and clear the snow from their sidewalks.  Large amounts of snow make it difficult for children trying to go to school, seniors and any pedestrian trying to maneuver the sidewalks covered with snow.

Per City Ordinance 521.06 – Every property is required to remove and keep clear, snow and ice from all sidewalks, paths, and/or drives on all areas abutting the property.  Landlords are responsible for making sure their properties get shoveled.

To report problems relating to clearing snow from sidewalks, click here to use our Report A Problem form or contact the Division of Housing and Building at 216-529-6270 or housing.building@lakewoodoh.net

Help do your part to keep Lakewood a year round walkable community and clear your sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall.

Residents are reminded that vehicles may not be parked on any street in the City for more than 24 hours without being used in a usual and ordinary manner.

When there is a heavy snowfall, the Lakewood Police Department will ticket snowed-in autos on all city streets.  Tickets and tow notices will be placed on each vehicle.  If the cars are still parked on the street without being moved 24 hours after the ticket and notice are placed on the vehicle, an attempt will be made to notify the registered owner.  After the notification attempt is made, the auto may be towed off the street.

More information about the 24 hour parking violation can be found in Lakewood Codified Ordinance Section 351.18.

During a snow event, residents without other parking, may park for free in the municipal parking lots.  Click the link below for a map of the available parking lots.

List of Municipal Parking Lots which may be used during an Emergency Snow Parking Ban »

How does the City decide what streets are plowed first?

In removing the snow and ice, the City responds first to all main roads, bridges, hills and secondary main roads which must be kept passable to provide a safe transportation network to the largest volume of people. Once these areas are in passable condition, crews head to clear the residential side streets.

Why does the plow not remove all the snow from my road?
On residential side streets, the plow blade has “guards” that keep the blade just a fraction above the roadway surface. This is done to prevent damage to vehicles and equipment and help limit the damage to the asphalt and concrete road surface and damage to other infrastructure such as manholes, catch basins or water valves.  Streets with low traffic volumes may remain snow covered longer. Salt is not very effective during heavy snow fall on side streets due to the low traffic volume needed to help activate the melting agents in road salt. Salt will be applied on side streets when the snowfall has slowed or stopped and when conditions exist that will make it effective or necessary. Salt applied on side streets with low vehicle traffic and during the course of active snow fall will get plowed out of the streets and unto tree lawns, thereby squandering the use of the costly resource and the time, labor and equipment spent and used to deliver it. Salt is always applied within approximately 100 feet of all side street intersections and on all hills when side streets are plowed.

Why do the snow plows push snow into my driveway apron and who is responsible for clearing it?
Unfortunately, it cannot be helped and we apologize for the inconvenience it causes you. The snow must be removed from the traveled portion of the road for public safety.  Snow left in driveway aprons by the city while snow plowing is the residents’ and owners’ responsibility to remove.

Why doesn’t the city clean my driveway apron?
There are approximately 15,000 driveway aprons in the City. The time and cost to clean all the driveway aprons is prohibitive. 

Can snow from my driveway be blown or plowed into the street?
Snow may not be pushed or blown into the street from private property, nor may it be pushed onto your neighbor’s property.  Please remind your snow plow service that they are not permitted to push snow onto the street or onto property that it did not fall upon.

Who is responsible for removing snow from the sidewalks?
According to City of Lakewood Ordinance 521.06, property owners are responsible for keeping the sidewalks clear of debris as well as snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall.

Why doesn’t the city salt the side streets?
We do salt side streets on a limited basis as conditions warrant. Excessive road salt usage is costly, has a negative environmental effect and reduces the longevity of the road surface.  For more information see our Salt Reduction Strategy.

Parking During a Snow Storm

Residents must obey all parking signs and winter parking restrictions. To provide effective snow removal, the City may order that special parking restrictions be put in place. These restrictions will be announced through the media.

Further Questions:

Contact the City of Lakewood Streets and Forestry Department at (216) 529-6810.