Snow and Ice

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Snow and Ice Removal

Plow priorities, removal responsibilities, and snow tips for residents

In Colorado, winter weather is inevitable. The City of Castle Pines Public Works Department is responsible for snow and ice removal on public streets within the City, which includes 106 lane miles of roadway and 127 cul-de-sacs. Roads outside of the City’s boundaries are the responsibility of Douglas County.

Additionally, one major state highway, I-25, passes through Castle Pines, which the Colorado Department of Transportation maintains.

City staff and plow operators plan for the first snowfall. When snow is predicted, snow removal personnel report for duty and are assigned designated snow routes ahead of time. However, every snow event is different, and we regularly make adjustments to our snow removal operations based on the changing weather conditions and any requests for access from emergency or police services.

If you have questions or concerns about snow and ice removal, please email PWRequests@castlepinesco.gov. This inbox is the quickest way to receive a response about snow and ice concerns after a snowstorm.

Snow Removal Priority Map Snow Removal Frequently Asked Questions

 

Track Our Plows

Keep tabs on the City’s snow plows with our interactive map below that shows the recent locations of our fleet. Castle Pines has an Automatic Vehicle Locator system to assist in tracking the larger plows during snow removal operations.

Snow Plow Tracking Map

Road Priorities

We maintain our public streets in the following order:

  1. Priority 1 – Arterial roadways. These streets are the City’s primary access roads and provide critical connections throughout the community, including access to school zones, major office areas, or designated emergency routes. Priority 1 streets are the first to be cleared during a snowstorm, and only after they are considered safe and passable will plow operators and equipment move to Priority 2 roads. Examples include Castle Pines Parkway, Monarch Boulevard, Lagae Road, Mira Vista Lane, and Buffalo Trail.
  2. Priority 2 – Collector roadways: These streets provide primary access into and out of residential areas. Examples include Daniels Gate Road/Grigs Road, Buffalo Trail, Hidden Point Boulevard, Crossing Circle, Yorkshire Drive, Oxford Drive, and Shoreham Drive.
  3. Priority 3 – Local roadways: When Priority 1 and 2 streets are passable, these smaller residential streets, cul-de-sacs, and all other roads will be plowed.

Snow Tips for Residents

  • Resident responsibilities during and after snowstorms include shoveling sidewalks, snow placement, and vehicle removal.
  • For safety reasons, the City and Douglas County require residents and business owners to remove snow from sidewalks within 24 hours after the snowfall ends. Areas around school bus stops, fire hydrants, power boxes, and storm drains must be kept clear and accessible.
  • Whenever possible, avoid parking vehicles on City streets during a snow or ice storm—they can prevent access to plows and hinder the City’s efforts to remove snow.
  • Wait to shovel sidewalks and driveway entrances until after a plow has been through to avoid re-shoveling redistributed snow.
  • Shovel snow into your yard, not onto the roadway. This provides needed moisture to your plants and grass and reduces snow and ice build-up in the street and gutter.
  • Use caution when driving near a snowplow.

Snow Removal Responsibility

The City maintains all public streets via a vendor contract for snow removal services. Privately maintained streets are the responsibility of the local homeowners association.

Areas not maintained by the City include Amber Ridge, Broadwick, Buffalo Ridge, Canterbury Park, Castle Pointe, Coyote Crossing, The Crossings, Daniel’s Ridge, Esperanza, Forest Park, Hamlet, Lifestyle, Turquoise Terrace, Ventanna, and Whisper Canyon.

Ice management

Heavy snow, continuous freeze-thaw cycles, and prolonged cold temperatures can cause ice buildup on streets and gutters. When this occurs, City crews will address these on the same street priority level identified for snow removal, depending on the availability of personnel and equipment.

Products Used on Road Surfaces:
Castle Pines utilizes Ice-Slicer, a naturally mined product out of Utah, for the standard de-icing product. Granular deicers are applied to melt snow and ice whenever present. Based on the criteria set forth by the Regional Air Quality Council, the City of Castle Pines does not use sand in its snow removal operations. This strategy supports the reduction of the brown cloud.