Snow & Ice Control

Snow Ordinance

The City of Ankeny may declare a snow ordinance based on several factors including snow, sleet, freezing rain, and blowing snow.  When a snow ordinance is declared, the following rules apply:

• No parking is allowed on all public streets, alleys, and on-street parking areas within the city when the snow ordinance is in effect.
• No parking is allowed until the snow ordinance is officially ended by the City. 
• Parking in The District at Prairie Trail and Uptown business district is prohibited from 2 - 6 a.m. during a snow ordinance.
• Vehicles parked on the street during a snow ordinance will be ticketed $40 and may be towed.

When a snow ordinance is declared, the City will announce the start and stop times for parking restrictions via:

• Text message
• City of Ankeny website - look for an alert bar at the top
• City of Ankeny Facebook page
• Local news media

The City will only send a text message when a snow ordinance is declared, check the City of Ankeny Facebook page and this website for continual updates including if it's ended early.

Ankeny City Council approved the City Snow Ordinance on October 1, 2018. View Ordinance 1956 (PDF) now.

Restricted Winter Parking on Narrow Streets

There are a few Ankeny streets where parking is not allowed during winter weather, regardless of whether a snow ordinance is declared or not, view the city code. When snow and/or freezing rain (ice) is falling, covering, or drifting onto the street, no person shall park, abandon, or leave unattended any vehicle or trailer on any on-street parking at the following locations:

• The one-way loop of SW Des Moines Street between SW Prairie Trail Parkway and SW Magazine Road.
• The one-way sections of SW Des Moines Street between SW Magazine Road and SW 11th Street.
• The median divided section of SW Prairie Trail Parkway between SW Vintage Parkway and SW Oak Street.

Winter Weather Procedures

Anti-Icing / De-Icing Operations

Public Works crews strategically apply salt brine or calcium chloride to arterial and major collector streets approximately 24 hours prior to the beginning of a snowfall event to prevent the formation or development of bonded snow and ice on the roadway. Arterial and major collector streets, industrial roads, and residential intersections are treated with a salt mixture for ice control and snow accumulations of one inch or less.

Things to Know About Ankeny Snow Removal Operations

• When snow accumulation occurs, plow trucks will make multiple passes to fully clear all streets. (We appreciate your patience.)
• Plow trucks are also used to apply salt (you may see a plow truck with its wings and plow up).
• Snow removal for cul-de-sacs:
  • Plow trucks will initially clear a path around the outside of the cul-de-sac.
  • Depending on the amount of accumulation, another truck or an end loader may arrive later to complete snow removal in the bulb of the cul-de-sac.
  • In the event of lighter snowfall, the center of the cul-de-sac may not be cleared.
  • When cul-de-sacs are cleared, the snow may be pushed up and over the sidewalk. (If this is necessary, the property owner is not expected to clear this piled snow off the sidewalk.)
• As the Public Works Department clears all city streets, residential neighborhoods, and business districts, Parks Maintenance removes snow from public parking lots, sidewalks, and trails.

Assistance & Safety

• Call 911 if you have an emergency.  Dispatchers will contact the snow removal operations if emergency vehicles need assistance.
• Remain patient; we will ensure that all roads are passable as soon as possible. This is our highest priority.
• Stay off the roads, if possible. The fewer vehicles on the roads, the faster we can get them cleared and have you on your way.
• Park your vehicles in your driveway.
• Stay back at least 50' from the rear of a plow truck so the driver can see you. If you can't see the drivers in their mirrors, they can't see you.
• Ensure your vehicle doesn't hang out into the street.
• Teach your children to stay behind the sidewalks when they see the plow trucks coming.
• Avoid passing or driving beside plow trucks to allow our larger trucks to plow multiple lanes of snow at once.
• Avoid plowing, snow-blowing, or shoveling snow from your driveway into the street to minimize the amount of snow pushed back into your driveway by plow trucks.
• Shovel the snow from your driveway to the down street side (Down Street is the direction traffic flows past your driveway.)
• Remove any portable basketball goals, hockey goals, skateboard ramps, or other structures from the street to enable plow trucks to reach the curb. This also helps to minimize the risk of damage to the plow truck or portable structures.
• Trim tree branches along the street.
• Clear sidewalks adjacent to your property.

Be Prepared for Winter Weather

• Do not park on any public streets, roads or alleys within the city when a snow ordinance is declared.
• Parking in The District at Prairie Trail and Uptown business district is banned from 2 - 6 a.m. when a snow ordinance is declared.
• If there is snow in the forecast, please don’t park on the street. Move vehicles off the street before leaving the house for more than a day during the winter.
• Do not allow children to play in snow drifts or snow piles along the street. This is very dangerous, especially when streets are being cleared by snow plows.
• As a property owner, it is your responsibility to clear snow from all sidewalks on or adjacent to your property within 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling. Fines may be issued if violations occur.
• Keep fire hydrants clear of snow and debris. Be mindful when shoveling or snow blowing to not cover any fire hydrant with snow.

Road / Travel Conditions

View Iowa Department of Transportation Road/Travel Conditions.