November 10, 2022
The Town of Winter Park's goal is to provide the best snow service possible within the constraints of budget, personnel, and available equipment. Please keep in mind that US Highway 40 is maintained and plowed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) rather than the Town.
Snow Operations Policy
Although the Town has a snow-plowing priority system in place, the time required to clear the roads depends on several variables, such as snowstorm intensity, duration, wind, and temperature.
Priority 1
Plow and sand arterial streets. These roads are the primary routes most used to access locations and are the main bus routes. They include Vasquez Road, Van Anderson Drive, Kings Crossing, Forest Trail, and Winter Park Drive.
Priority 2
Plow and sand collector streets. These roads are secondary routes used to access arterial streets and are bus routes as well. They include Lions Gate Drive, access to most subdivisions, and the downtown business corridor.
Priority 3
Plow and spot sand residential streets and cul-de-sacs. These are low-volume roads and are not typically used as thru routes. They include Alpine Lane, Leland Creek Circle, and residential portions of Old Town.
PlowOps Snow Plow Map
The Town utilizes PlowOps to monitor how often and how recently roads have been plowed by our Public Works plow drivers. Residents can now get a better idea of what to expect before venturing out on the roads. The map illustrates which roads have been plowed in the last hour, last 1-2 hours, 2-3 hours, 3-4 hours, or 4-12 hours.
*This is for informational purposes only. We are striving to provide the most accurate, real-time information available.
No On-Street Parking Overnight
There is no on-street parking overnight within the Town from November 1 - May 1 except in designated areas. This allows snow plows to do their job effectively. Residents and guests of Winter Park need to be patient and recognize that during the winter months, there is bound to be some inconvenience. Snow operations are labor intensive, and equipment does fail on occasion. Snow removal crews work long hours to keep the streets clear and safe. We ask for everyone's cooperation. Please remember plow trucks cannot stop or turn as readily as most vehicles. Please allow ample space for Town snow removal equipment to maneuver freely. The Town plows beginning at 4 a.m. until midnight.
What is a snow windrow?
Snow windrows are created by plows during roadway snow operations and they can often block residential driveways. The creation of windrows in front of driveways is often unavoidable for our plow drivers. Since our drivers have many miles of roadways to clear during major winter storm events, homeowners are responsible for clearing access between their driveway and the street through these windrows.
Important Details to Know About Snow Windrows:
- The Town does not return to plow snow windrows after a storm.
- The Town will not be able to get to 'bare pavement' in most cases. Operators will work to push as much snow as possible to provide a passable street surface.
- Operators will make every effort to limit throwing snow on driveways and/or developing 'snow boulders'.
Information Resources
To view our snow route map or learn about snow operations in Winter Park, click here.
You can pick up a 2023-24 Snow Removal Operations Brochure located at the front entrance of Town Hall.
If you have additional questions, please contact the Public Works Department at 970-726-8081 x 222.
