- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Public Works
- Street Maintenance
- Winter Weather Response
Winter Weather Response
Keeping traffic moving safely during winter weather is a top priority for the City of Dayton. City crews will respond to snow and ice events with every resource available. Snow removal and street treatment occurs according to the following prioritization:
Highways, arterials, bridges, RTA routes, and streets bordering Dayton public schools and hospitals: When snow events start, snowplow drivers apply deicer materials and plow as necessary to maintain drivable roadways. Interstate 75, State Route 35 and State Route 4 within the Dayton city limits will be plowed and deicer materials applied to maintain one clear lane at a minimum.
Downtown (Central Business District): Snowplow drivers apply several applications of salt treated with a deicer chemical mix. When this process is not effective, snow will be plowed to the middle of select streets and loaded in dump trucks for removal. All other streets in the CBD will be plowed to the curbs.
Snow Removal Priorities
First Priorities
Highways, arterials, bridges, RTA routes, and streets bordering Dayton public schools and hospitals: When snow events start, snowplow drivers apply deicer materials and plow as necessary to maintain drivable roadways. Interstate 75, State Route 35 and State Route 4 within the Dayton city limits will be plowed and deicer materials applied to maintain one clear lane at a minimum.Downtown (Central Business District): Snowplow drivers apply several applications of salt treated with a deicer chemical mix. When this process is not effective, snow will be plowed to the middle of select streets and loaded in dump trucks for removal. All other streets in the CBD will be plowed to the curbs.
Email Alerts
City of Dayton Email Alerts
Second Priority
Hills and Collectors: Once first priority one roadways have been treated for safe travel, snowplow drivers will transition onto priority two roadways.
Third Priority
Residential Streets: These streets are plowed and treated with salt when snow accumulation totals are 4 inches or more. If the weather forecast indicates additional snow accumulations, plowing and salt applications will be revised.
Winter Weather Emergency System
The City’s winter weather emergency classifications are based on type and accumulation of precipitation with severity ranging from Level 1 (least severe) to Level 3 (most severe). The classifications are based on similar systems used widely in other communities. In Dayton, the Montgomery County Sheriff may declare a snow emergency and implement parking restrictions at any level.
- Level 1: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads are also icy. Drive very cautiously.
- Level 2: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roadways. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work.
- Level 3: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. However, those traveling on the roadways may subject themselves to prosecution.
Did You Know
The City of Dayton's preparations of winter weather begin during the summer. On standby are more than 50 snow removal vehicles and more than 80 crew members to keep 1,700 lane-miles of streets and highways clear.
During the winter months, City staff track potential storms 24 hours per day and on-call City crews are available to begin working 16-hour shifts when winter weather is forecast. If there is a snow emergency, essential employees, public safety and emergency management staff work around the clock to ensure that Dayton and its residents weather the storm.