Emergency Snow Routes
After a snowfall, it may take up to 12 hours for crews to reach every street in the city. The City prioritizes main arterial streets with high traffic volumes and posted Emergency Snow Routes first; collector and residential streets will be cleared after.
If your home is located on an Emergency Snow Route, the City prioritizes your road for plowing and requests you to move your cars from off the street. Vehicles that are not moved during this time may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. Please review alternate parking options on our website in the event of a Snow Emergency.
When a Snow Emergency is declared, residents are asked to park on the odd-address side of the street on odd calendar days and to park on the even-address side of the street on even calendar days. This voluntary rule does not apply to areas where alternate side parking would conflict with permanently posted parking restrictions. Vehicles that have been parked on the street for more than 48 hours may be ticketed and towed. Residents can report these vehicles by calling the Cedar Rapids Police non-emergency number: 319-286-5491.
For a list of prioritized routes, please visit CityofCR.com/Snow.
If your home is located on an Emergency Snow Route, the City prioritizes your road for plowing and requests you to move your cars from off the street. Vehicles that are not moved during this time may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. Please review alternate parking options on our website in the event of a Snow Emergency.
When a Snow Emergency is declared, residents are asked to park on the odd-address side of the street on odd calendar days and to park on the even-address side of the street on even calendar days. This voluntary rule does not apply to areas where alternate side parking would conflict with permanently posted parking restrictions. Vehicles that have been parked on the street for more than 48 hours may be ticketed and towed. Residents can report these vehicles by calling the Cedar Rapids Police non-emergency number: 319-286-5491.
For a list of prioritized routes, please visit CityofCR.com/Snow.
Garbage and Snow Piles
| Snow can create challenges for both homeowners and solid waste collection crews. Here are a few tips to help everyone get through the winter months safely. If you have a wide driveway, place your cans along one half of the driveway. If your driveway space is limited, please clear a section of snow to the side of your driveway so your cans can be collected from street-level. Remember that carts need three feet between the container and other objects for efficient collection. |  |
What to Avoid:
NOTE: The gray GARBY cart in the photo is set in the appropriate place, behind the curb, where a snow bank has been shoveled out to clear room so the cart sits at curb height.
Placing carts on top of snow banks creates a safety hazard for crew members by putting the weight above their center of gravity. Crew members have slipped and fallen under trucks and been injured trying to wrestle the containers down from the tops of snow banks. In order to protect the health and safety of our workers, the City of Cedar Rapids Solid Waste and Recycling Division has instructed crew members not to collect garbage, recycling, and compost carts placed on top of snow banks.
- Placing carts on top of snow banks
- Placing carts in the street
- Placing carts too close together
- Placing carts in the right-of-way (area marked by yellow lines in the photo below)
NOTE: The gray GARBY cart in the photo is set in the appropriate place, behind the curb, where a snow bank has been shoveled out to clear room so the cart sits at curb height.
Placing carts on top of snow banks creates a safety hazard for crew members by putting the weight above their center of gravity. Crew members have slipped and fallen under trucks and been injured trying to wrestle the containers down from the tops of snow banks. In order to protect the health and safety of our workers, the City of Cedar Rapids Solid Waste and Recycling Division has instructed crew members not to collect garbage, recycling, and compost carts placed on top of snow banks.
Sidewalk Clean-up
Removing snow and ice from sidewalks, including the sidewalk ramp, is one way you can help keep our community safe and accessible to neighbors, children walking to school, and visitors to our city. To report a concern, visit my.cedar-rapids.org.
Changes to Municipal Code Chapter 9.11 — Clearing Snow & Ice from Sidewalks — may affect Cedar Rapids residents and property owners. Adopted changes include:
Changes to Municipal Code Chapter 9.11 — Clearing Snow & Ice from Sidewalks — may affect Cedar Rapids residents and property owners. Adopted changes include:
- Reduced timeframe for snow clearance. The timeframe is 24 hours to clear snow and ice, down from 48 hours previously.
- Civil citation and formal appeal process. A $35 citation fee will be charged if a sidewalk is found to be out of compliance upon inspection. Previously, no fee was charged during the inspection process. The abatement fee (if the City needs to clear the snow) remains unchanged.
- Snow Buddies snow removal program. Volunteers needed! CityofCR.com/SnowBuddies
- Adjusted enforcement timeline. Enforcement will continue to be driven by complaints received. The updated process reduces the time it will take between receipt of complaint and removal of snow by abatement staff — from 120 hours down to 72 hours.
- Additional clarity for sidewalk clearance. Language in the Code specifies property owners must clear the entire width of the abutting public sidewalks and pedestrian curb ramps.
