FAQs • Village of Grayslake • CivicEngage

Why is snow always left at the end of my driveway?

Unfortunately, this is one of the consequences of owning a home in northern Illinois. Despite popular opinion, crews do not place snow in driveways on purpose. There is no practical way for the snow plow operator to cut off the windrow of snow when crossing a driveway. This problem is especially acute in cul-de-sacs because this is a very confined space. Cul-de-sacs require that all of the snow on the roadway within that confined space be placed along the outside of the circle. The problem is compounded by the fact that each homeowner then must clear their driveway, which places large piles on the corners of the drives.

In a cul-de-sac, it is extremely difficult to have the truck push snow onto a center island. Trucks are not built to be articulated into an angle that would allow placing a portion of the snow on the island, and centrifugal force causes the snow to move off of the plow toward the outside of the circle. Public Work's goal in clearing all streets is to maintain as much of the normal pavement width as possible, while at the same time, allowing acceptable access to the mailboxes for the postal carriers.

One thing you can do to reduce the amount of snow that is plowed in front of your driveway is to place as much of the snow as possible to the right side of your drive, as you face the street. This reduces the chance of snow previously removed from the driveway being pushed back onto your drive. This suggestion, however, may not work in cul-de-sacs that have driveway openings placed close together.

Unfortunately, the Village does not have the personnel to clean driveways. This is the responsibility of the resident.

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Public Works Department

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1. Who plows my streets?

The Village plows roads that are under the jurisdiction of the municipality. These include neighborhood streets and certain larger roads. Other agencies plow other Grayslake streets, including:

Alleghany Road (South of Route 120) - Lake County Department of Transportation
Casey Road - Lake County Department of Transportation
Center Street (Route 83 to Route 45) - Lake County Department of Transportation
Route 45 - Illinois Department of Transportation
Route 83, Barron Boulevard - Illinois Department of Transportation
Route 120, Belvidere Road - Illinois Department of Transportation
Route 137 - Illinois Department of Transportation
Washington Street - Lake County Department of Transportation
Rollins Road - Lake County Department of Transportation

2. What do I do if the snowplow damaged my mailbox?: Unfortunately, during snow plow operations mailboxes may be damaged either from a direct hit from a snowplow or from wet snow thrown from a snow plow. The Village has a mailbox replacement policy for both properly placed and improperly placed mailboxes within the Village right-of-way. The Village also reserves the option to repair the mailbox. To report a damaged mailbox, please call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or
submit a Request for Service online.

3. Why is snow always left at the end of my driveway?

Unfortunately, the Village does not have the personnel to clean driveways. This is the responsibility of the resident.

4. When is street sweeping done?: Street sweeping is done on an as-needed basis to keep sewers and gutters clear of any debris.

5. Who do I call regarding questions about roadwork?: You may call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or submit a Request for Service online.

6. Who do I call about a dead tree on the parkway?: You may call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or submit a Request for Service online.

7. How do I get a street sign fixed or replaced?: You can call the request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or submit a Request for Service online.

8. How do I get a street light fixed or replaced?: You may call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or submit a Request for Service online.

9. Where do I report a pothole for repair?: You may call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or submit a Request for Service online.

10. Where do I report a manhole cover is loose or missing?: Please call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or call the non-emergency Police Department phone number after hours (847) 223-2341 (call PD for a missing manhole cover only). Also, you may click
Request for Service System

11. Where do I report a water main break?: Please call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or call the non-emergency Police Department phone number after hours (847) 223-2341.

12. Where do I report concerns regarding road construction?: You can call the Request for Service System at (847) 223-8515 or click here to submit a Request for Service online.

13. How do different storm conditions impact snow removal? What about salt use?

Snow and ice removal is an inexact science. Different storms bring different problems which require different levels and types of responses. Several factors directly contribute to the severity and impact of a storm.

1. The Length of the Storm: Extended snow storms make snow and ice removal more challenging for plow operators. It is much easier to clear eight inches of snow that falls over a six hour period in comparison to a four inch snow that falls over a twenty-four hour period. Unlike most area towns Grayslake plows all streets throughout extended storms rather than just focusing on larger arterial streets until the snow ends.

2. The Composition of the Snow: Snow moisture levels vary based on temperature. The closer the temperature is to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the heavier the content of the snow will be. Heavy snow makes snow and ice removal much more difficult and slower. The process is more efficient and effective when snow is dry and fluffy.

3. Rush Hour Effect: Morning and late-afternoon snow storms will increase your driving times. Snow during rush hour periods also slows plow trucks since plow trucks must share the road with the higher traffic volumes of rush period. This can slow plowing operations. Try and stay updated on predicted weather conditions and make your travel plans accordingly. As is standard procedure, the Village plow and salt crews will clear the snow and ice as quickly as possible when these particularly inconvenient storms occur.

4. Deicing Materials: Almost every community uses salt for pavement deicing. This is to reduce icy conditions and pavements to some degree. How different communities apply these materials impacts results. More frequent applications and higher amounts of salt can improve pavement conditions but this must be balanced with environmental impacts. Grayslake uses more salt than some towns and less than others. The Village uses an environmentally friendly alternative to salt only to help deice streets. This alternative combines traditional road salt and a beet by-product which reduces the amount of salt needed and increases the deicing effectiveness at lower temperatures.