Village of Burr Ridge A Very Special Place

Streets

Lights

If you notice a street light is out or witness damage to a street light, complete a service request and report its location and the pole number or call Village Hall.

If the pole or fixture has been damaged by an accident that has left wires exposed, there is a danger of electrocution, and your report is especially important. If the Village Hall is closed, please dial 9-1-1 to report the matter. If there is a Village street light near your property (not a light or utility pole), you should contact the Village before beginning any digging in any utility easements where a street light cable may be located along the front, side, or rear of your property.

Maintenance

Maintenance of streets includes snow plowing, cold patching, and street sweeping. If you notice a pothole or road areas that need attention, please call the Public Works Department or complete a service request to report the problem.

Sweeping

Sweeping the streets clears the streets of leaves, mud and debris and helps to prevent debris from being washed into the storm sewers after a heavy rain.

Street sweeping usually begins in March weather dependent. The Operations Division sweeps all streets with curbs and gutters monthly with the exception of March, April, October and November when they are swept twice a month. Each round of sweeping takes five or six days to complete. Additional sweepings in some portions of town are required when there has been flooding, construction debris, excessive leaves, etc. Last year we swept a total of 53 days, 286 hours, 1662 miles, and removed 86 loads of debris.

Residents can help us keep the storm sewers clear by refraining from raking leaves, and blowing grass clippings into the street. They should be bagged and removed by your waste service or used for mulch on your property.

Fleet Maintenance

In excess of 150 preventative maintenance functions are performed annually on the Village's fleet. The Streets/Storm Sewer (Operations) Division is responsible for fleet maintenance, maintaining approximately 61 pieces of equipment which include:

3 cars
6 pick-up trucks
2 pieces of heavy equipment
3 generators
1 street sweeper
1 trailer
1 compressor
1 tractor
10 large dump trucks
2 SUVs
1 bucket truck
30 miscellaneous items (snow plows, spreaders, etc.)

Operating Functions Include:

Prepare & develop specifications for fleet & equipment to be bid out for purchase
Administer a preventative maintenance program for the Village's fleet & equipment
Maintain a fleet, equipment & parts inventory
Perform & oversee all fleet & equipment repairs
Perform paint & body repairs for the fleet & equipment
Maintain one fueling station
Perform & maintain fleet & equipment maintenance records
Prepare retired vehicles for public auction

Snow Removal

During the winter snowfall season, the Chicagoland area receives frequent snowfall events, some of which result in prolonged periods of heavy snowfall, sometimes up to 2”/hr. Following, please find a summary of typical resident questions and responses:

The Village has not plowed my street yet:

During snow removal operations, streets are plowed on a priority basis. The main roads are plowed first, followed by the secondary streets, followed by the cul-de-sacs. The purpose of this policy is to allow emergency response vehicles the greatest access to the community. Also, as Public Works crews advance through the priority list, they are directed to continue to maintain the main thoroughfares in the best condition so that when motorists get out of their cul-de-sac/subdivision, they can continue.

It is better for motorists to get stuck on a secondary street trying to get to the main system than to easily get out of the subdivision and get stuck on an arterial or collector, where the disabled vehicle would be more disruptive to snow removal activities, and the stranded motorist is further from their home.

NOTE: The following streets are under the jurisdiction of the Cook County or DuPage County Highway Department:

1. 1. County Line Road
  2. Wolf Road
  3. Plainfield Road
  4. German Church Road
  5. 79th Street east of County Line Road
  6. North Frontage Road east of County Line Road
  7. Madison Street North of I-55
  8. North Frontage Road, West of Elm Street

My vehicle is stuck.
If a medical emergency or unsafe condition exists, contact 911 immediately. If the motorist is stranded, they should stay with their vehicle. If an emergency does not exist, please be advised that Public Works cannot tow/push/plow out the disabled vehicle; a private contractor/towing service should be utilized for this purpose.

Every time I clear my driveway, public works comes by and leaves a big windrow (pile of snow).
Public Works crews work very hard to minimize plow deposits across resident driveways. However, despite our best efforts, it is not possible to eliminate snow deposits along the sides of roadways (including across driveway aprons). This issue is especially difficult to minimize when plowing cul-de-sacs because, at the bulb of cul-de-sacs, there is often very little parkway space to place snow. We understand residents’ frustration at finding a windrow of snow across a newly shoveled driveway. Please understand that our plow operators take as much time and effort as can be warranted to minimize this effect. Public Works cannot come back and remove the windrow.

A snowdrift has blocked an otherwise passable street.
Contact the public works department with a description of the location. Public Works will address the issue as soon as possible.

I cannot get to work/It is very important that I get to work/Can Public Works plow a path for me?
If a medical emergency or unsafe condition exists, contact 911 immediately and we will assist the emergency response with plow assistance. If otherwise, please be advised that Public Works is not able to plow/escort residents to their workplaces.

My mailbox was damaged by a snowplow.
Please contact Village Hall and the public works department will place a temporary mailbox as soon as time permits and will repair the old mailbox or provide a $75 reimbursement. NOTE: Mailbox damage on Wolf Road, Plainfield Road, Madison (north of Joliet, German Church Road, and CLR is the responsibility of the County.

My mailbox is buried.
Due to the amount of snow, mailboxes may be obstructed, especially in cul-de-sacs. The public works department does its best to avoid this but is limited by equipment and manpower. The resident is responsible for clearing around their mailbox if they feel it is obscured.

A fire hydrant is buried.
Please contact Village Hall to identify the location. The public works department will dig out the fire hydrant as soon as time permits.

ADDITIONAL SNOW REMOVAL REMINDERS:

Plowing Priorities

The first streets plowed are the main thoroughfares, followed by secondary streets, then cul-de-sacs. During multi-day snowfall events, it may be several days before the snow is removed from cul-de-sacs; Public Works crews will be focusing efforts on keeping main thoroughfares safe.

Resident Responsibilities

Shoveling snow from driveways onto the street is illegal and can result in roadway icing and disruption to the Village snow removal efforts.
Residents and plowing contractors must avoid shoveling and/or blowing snow into the roadway.
Private plow operators who are observed pushing snow into the roadway can be towed or ticketed.
Parking on Village streets is prohibited during snowfall events of 2” or greater. Cars parked on the street during these events will be ticketed or towed.
When a plow is approaching, please stay back from the roadway, and especially keep children away from the roadway as the plow approaches.

Driveway Windrows

Public Works crews work very hard to minimize plow deposits across resident driveways. However, despite our best efforts, it is not possible to eliminate snow deposits along the sides of roadways and across driveway aprons. This issue is especially difficult to minimize when plowing cul-de-sacs since there is often very little parkway space to place snow. We understand residents’ frustration at finding a windrow of snow across a newly shoveled driveway. Our plow operators take as much time and effort as possible to minimize this effect.

Mailbox Damage from Snowplows

Is your mailbox ready to stand up to the rigors of winter or is it loose, damaged, or in need of repair? Please ensure that it is secure and in good repair. During snowfall events, it is not uncommon for mailboxes to be damaged by the force of snow as it comes off the snow plow blade. The Village is responsible for damage due to direct plow contact with a mailbox but is not liable for mailboxes that are damaged by the force of snow. To report damage to your mailbox, call the Village Hall or submit a Service Request.

Mailbox Standards:

Post Material:

Wooden post (minimum 4”x4”, maximum 6”x6”).
Light Gauge hollow cast iron or steel pipe (maximum 3” diameter)

Box Setback:

The mailbox must be 6”-12” behind the back of the curb or the back of the shoulder

Sod Restoration

Sod restoration begins in the spring and continues through the fall. Any right-of-way damage from street repairs or snow plow damage will be repaired after proper settlement and weather permits.

If you would like to report damage and a request for sod restoration, please complete a Service Request online or call the Village Hall during normal business hours.

Mosquito Abatement

Mosquito Control

Village-maintained ponds and storm sewers are systematically treated to inhibit the growth of mosquito larva, while roadside fogging is occasionally performed when West Nile Virus vector mosquitos are abundant.

Mosquito abatement services in the Cook County portion of the Village are provided by the Des Plaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District which is a taxing authority paid through Cook County property taxes. In the DuPage County area of the Village, these same services are provided by a Village contractor.

If you reside in DuPage County, you can be notified by phone when future mosquito spraying will take place by calling 1-800-942-2555. To be notified by email when future mosquito spraying will take place, sign up at https://www.clarkeportal.com/hotline.

If you reside in Cook County, you can follow the Des Plains Valley Mosquito Abatement District’s activities via their website: https://www.desplainesvalleymad.com/. Please note that the Des Plains Valley Mosquito Abatement District is a separate entity from the Village of Burr Ridge.