Snow & Ice Control Operations

The Village begins plowing streets when snow is more than one inch deep and when freezing temperatures indicate there will be no melting. Many state and county roads in and around the Village are cleared by outside agencies. The Village plows and salts some roads in this category, including Milwaukee Avenue from Adler Drive to Hollister Drive, and Park Avenue from Butterfield Road to the Des Plaines River. Streets with high traffic volume, emergency routes, and bus routes on school days receive priority for plowing over residential, non-primary routes that typically do not have heavy traffic volume. 


There are several ways you can help keep the Village safe during the winter: 

  • Clear your sidewalk.   This is especially helpful for children trying to get to school safely.  Do not stack the snow at corners of intersections. 
  • Assist senior citizens who live nearby shoveling their sidewalks. 
  • When clearing your driveway, shovel or blow the snow onto the parkway to the right side of your driveway as you face the street. This will help to reduce plow truck windrows. 
  • Park vehicles off the street. On-street parking is prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am during snow events.  
  • Watch for snow & ice removal vehicles.  Be alert and vigilant of Village snow plows while driving or shoveling your sidewalk or driveway.
  • Stay a minimum of 50 feet away from all snow and ice removal vehicles and machinery.   
  • Ensure your mailbox is 12 inches from the curb and the post is secure.
  • Adopt a fire hydrant and keep it clear of snow.  It's there to protect you. 
County Roads
Several roads are under county jurisdiction. The Lake County Division of Transportation plows the following roads within the Village: Winchester Road - IL Route 21 to westerly Village limits and Butterfield Road - IL Route 137 to southerly Village limits.  The phone number for LCDOT is 847-377-7400.
State Roads
The Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for plowing portions of IL Route 137 and IL Route 45 that run through the Village.  The phone number for IDOT is 847-705-4612.

Levels of Service and Priorities

Street System

Each street in the Village has a designation as a priority one, two or three street. 

Priority One: Defined as arterials, collectors, emergency routes and school routes (on school days). These streets receive more frequent plowing and/or additional deicers applied, primarily due to heavier traffic volumes. Under most conditions, these streets are plowed curb to curb and deicers applied before priority two streets begin.

Priority Two: Residential, non-primary routes (includes cul-de-sacs) which typically do not have heavy traffic volumes. Generally cleared after the priority one streets are complete. Snow is plowed curb to curb.

Priority Three: Alleys are cleared toward the end of snow events.

Parking Lots

Snow plowing of various public, commuter and Parks Department parking lots is performed by a contractor hired by the Village. Snow plowing of the lots is usually completed during the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 within the 24 hour period when there is minimal traffic and cars parked. 

Downtown Sidewalks & Parking Lots done by Village Staff 

Guidelines for Salting and Ice Removal

The map below indicates roadways that will be plowed and salted as they have in the past to achieve bare pavement as soon as possible following a snow and ice event.

The remainder of the streets will be plowed as they have been in the past, but less salt will be used before, during, and after the event as described on the attached guidelines. It is important to note that this modification applies to salting of the low volume pavements; all pavements the Village is responsible to plow will be plowed.

The following guidelines are recommended:

  • Arterial, Collector, and Business Park roads will be fully salted during an initial call-out. During long term snow event operations, intersections and sharp curves will continue to be salted. At the conclusion of an event all roads will be salted to reduce icing conditions.
  • Low volume residential streets will be salted at curves, hills, and intersections during an initial callout. At the conclusion of an event all roads will be salted at curves, hills, and intersections to reduce icing conditions.
  • Cul-de-sacs will not be salted during an initial call-out unless there is an icing condition. In certain locations, long throats to the cul-de-sacs may be salted at sharp curves or hills, at the direction of the Crew Leader on duty. At the conclusion of an initial callout, the Crew Leader will determine, based on temperature, time, and day if the cul-de-sacs will be salted. If cul-de-sacs need to be salted, the operation may move forward then or the next day. After the completion of a snow event and the cul-de-sacs are plowed, staff will determine whether to salt the cul-de-sacs as noted above.
  • Parking lots which are plowed by contract will be salted only in the main aisle or the end of the event and all plowing is completed by the contractor and Streets & Utilities personnel will check for salt applications.
  • Salt trucks will be calibrated and set to distribute 250 lbs. of salt per lane mile. The truck operator will adjust the salt application rate for low volume residential streets.

Priority One Plowing & Salting Map: The streets highlighted in red are priority one streets. For a larger view of the map, place your cursor on top of the map, a magnifying glass will show in place of the cursor and you can scroll the magnifying glass to make the map larger.

For more information, please contact the Public Works at 847-362-3434, Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 3:00 pm. 

Department Responsibilities

Public Works Department
The Streets & Utilities division is responsible for carrying out snow and ice control operations on Village streets, alleys and parking lots. The Parks Division is responsible for the plowing/removal operations of designated Village sidewalks and parking lots.

Police Department

Responsible for monitoring the pavement conditions between the hours of 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and notifying Streets & Utilities personnel as snow and ice conditions develop. 

Parking Restrictions

The Village of Libertyville Municipal Code Chapter 23, Article IV, Subsection 23-71 states:

Parking After Snowstorms
It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle on any village street or highway when there is one (1) inch or more of unremoved snow on the street, for a period of twenty-four(24) hours, or until such time as the roadway has been cleared of snow. (exempts theC-1 downtown core commercial district) 

Any vehicle parked in any public street in violation of this section may be removed by the department of public works or the police department, or any employee thereof,to any other part of the village, as may best suit the convenience of the department or the employee making the removal. The owner of each vehicle so removed shall pay to the village the amount of the reasonable cost of such removal and of storage pending the redemption of same, and the village shall have the right to retain the vehicle until such payment is made. 

Sidewalk Snow Removal

Click Here to see the map of the sidewalks that the Village clears of snow and ice in the downtown area of the Village.

The Village encourages residents and businesses to clear snow & ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their property. The Village does not have a Village Ordinance requiring the removal of snow and ice from sidewalks. 

Many people, students walking to school and commuters walking to the train station, rely on walking and transit as their primary way to get around. Without a clear path through snow and ice, it can be difficult for people with disabilities, seniors and children walk safely. Please keep neighbors in mind and assist those who may not be physically capable to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks. 

Snow Removal Restrictions

The Village Municipal Code Section 21-3. - "Snow, leaves, landscape or other waste" states the following:  It shall be unlawful to throw, push or remove snow, leaves, landscape or other waste from any private property so as to cast, place or deposit such waste upon the right-of-way of any state or county highway or upon the right-of-way of any public street that is within one hundred (100) feet of any intersection of streets, or upon that part of any public street between the two (2) curbs of the street where curbs exist, or upon the regularly traveled part of any public street within the village where curbs do no exist, or upon any public sidewalk of any public street. 

Snow and Ice Removal Act

 (745 ILCS 75/) 

(745 ILCS 75/0.01) (from Ch. 70, par. 200) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Snow and Ice Removal Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.) 

(745 ILCS 75/1) (from Ch. 70, par. 201) Sec. 1. It is declared to be the public policy of this State that owners and others residing in residential units be encouraged to clean the sidewalks abutting their residences of snow and ice. The General Assembly, therefore, determines that it is undesirable for any person to be found liable for damages due to his or her efforts in the removal of snow or ice from such sidewalks, except for acts which amount to clear wrongdoing, as described in Section 2 of this Act. (Source: P.A. 81-591.) 

(745 ILCS 75/2) (from Ch. 70, par. 202) Sec. 2. Any owner, lessor, occupant or other person in charge of any residential property, or any agent of or other person engaged by any such party, who removes or attempts to remove snow or ice from sidewalks abutting the property shall not be liable for any personal injuries allegedly caused by the snowy or icy condition of the sidewalk resulting from his or her acts or omissions unless the alleged misconduct was willful or wanton. (Source: P.A. 81-591.)