Snow Plowing

Montmorency County receives, on average, 100 inches of snow in a winter. This is compounded by the drifting that often occurs with our winter storms. Keeping our roads open all winter, is a tough job. Generally, we work eight to ten hours daily. However, sometimes, the men work seven days a week during the winter.

The primary roads are plowed first, and then the drivers go on their routes. Within each route, the "more main" routes are plowed first. Unfortunately, someone must be first, and someone must be last, and it may be late in the day before your road is plowed. After a storm, we try to open a narrow path down all roads the first day and widen them out the second day. If another storm hits the second day, we start over, and it could be several days before all the roads are widened out.

It can be very difficult widening these roads because it tends to fill driveways. We cannot lift the plow at driveways, swerve away from driveways or put all the snow across the road from driveways. We are fortunate that our drivers are able to plow so close to mailboxes, day after day, and rarely hit one. If we do hit one, we will replace it with a basic mailbox. However, if the snow coming off the plow knocks your mailbox off, you are liable for that.

Please do not put your garbage on the shoulder of the road in the winter; we probably will hit it, and you will have a mess. The law does not allow the road commission to plow any private roads or driveways in the Lower Peninsula.

There are some County Roads that are too narrow, too steep or don't have a place to turn around when snow plowing. In most cases, school buses will only go on plowed county roads. You may want to check with us before you buy or build a house, if you are not sure.

When County trucks are working on the road, they are exempt from the Motor Vehicle Code. This allows them to back up in the roads, plow intersections, drive on the shoulder, etc. When our trucks are loaded full of snow, it is hard for them to see surrounding traffic. For this reason, you should stay clear of County trucks, because they may not do what you expect.

Our trucks are not capable of plowing at 70 MPH, more like 35 - 40 MPH. However, with all the snow flying, it can appear the truck is going faster. It is important for them to go relatively fast to get the snow thrown back far enough so a high bank doesn't form. We have to push back high banks with a grader and wing plow, and that is very time consuming.

If you have an emergency and need to get plowed out in a hurry, call 911, the Sheriff's Department (989) 785-4238 or the State Police (989) 732-2778. They will get in contact with us and get you out.