Everything You Need to Know (And Then Some) for Surviving Winter in Johnston

The first significant snow fall in... forever, is expected to take place this afternoon and evening. To make sure you're prepared, we're re-running our winter weather guide.

With a few light snow storms under our belt, it's a nice time to remind Johnston residents on the ins and outs of snow procedures around town.

Here's a handy guide to what you need to do with your car, who to contact if you lose power and where to get the most up-to-date alerts. Patch also has a handy winter weather safety guide, just for you.

The city of Johnston has several snow policies that are in effect from October to May each year. They can be found on the Johnston Public Works website.

How Do I Know When a Snow Emergency is Declared in Johnston?
The city website is updated early in the morning with snow alerts. Make sure you also check the school district’s website for information. Both the city and school district contact local media with alerts, delays and cancelations.

The city also keeps us at Johnston Patch updated when a snow emergency is declared. You can follow the latest developments right here, on our Facebook or Twitter pages or by downloading our mobile app for iPhones and other Android phones.

Parking on Public Streets
Notices are sent out to all major media outlets notifying residents that the city will plow streets in the early morning hours, said Dave Cubit, public works director.

However, plans may not be solidified until 3 a.m., so as a rule of thumb, residents should move their cars from the street if snow is expected to accumulate three inches or more.

"What will happen is we'll come in at 3 a.m. and put out a notification to the media. If someone goes to bed at 11 p.m. and it's now 4 a.m. and they have a ticket on their car," Cubit said. "Very rarely does it snow that much without a warning."

Johnston Police officers respond to calls from plow drivers about vehicles illegally parked during a ban. Parking in public streets during plowing can result in a fine or towing of the vehicle.

For a list of snow routes and maps click here.

Snow Removal
Residents have 48 hours after the snowfall ends to have their sidewalk cleared, Cubit said.

The public works department does not clear driveways. However, at times snow being plowed in the street will accumulate at the end of driveways.

"We do not intentionally put snow in driveways, but we have no means of making it not go there," Cubit said.

Dumping, throwing or pushing of snow from private properties onto public property is prohibited and punishable by fine.

"You can't snow blow from your driveway and put it in the street," Cubit said.

Mailboxes
It is not uncommon for a mailbox to be damaged during snow removal, Cubit said.

"Every year we kill a few of them," he said. "Our drivers are not bad aims, but the snow that comes from the plows knocks them down."

Drivers review their routes in late fall or early winter to make note of mailboxes that are in need of repair.

"It's amazing, some are tied to a flat piece of wood by a bungee cord," Cubit said.

Damaging a mailbox with a plow truck is difficult, Cubit said. Most times if a mailbox comes in contact with a truck, it is destroyed.

"If we hit one, it's a 40,000-pound machine going 20 miles per hour, odds are the mailbox is relocated to another dimension."

If a resident discovers their mailbox has been damaged by a city snowplow, they are asked to contact public works at 278-0822. The public works department will investigate the damage. If the investigation determines the damage is from a city snowplow, the city will repair the damage, provide a standard replacement mailbox or reimburse a resident up to the cost of a standard mailbox.

Emergency Numbers to Know:
Johnston Police Department - 278-2345
Johnston Public Works - 278-0822
MidAmerican Energy - 888-427-5632
American Red Cross Central Iowa Chapter - 471-8335

How Can I Find Out What the Roads are Like?

Visit the Iowa DOT Travel Information Service website for a check on road conditions around the state.