Plows Blocked Your Driveway In Grand Rapids? Try This

Amid this arctic blast and the seemingly endless snowfall across West Michigan, most of us are grateful for the plow drivers out there grinding away to keep roads passable.

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Snowplows Blocking Driveways Is Frustrating Grand Rapids

That said, gratitude can disappear real fast when you look outside and realize a city or county plow has just turned your freshly cleared driveway into a snow bunker.

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If it feels like this is happening everywhere, you’re not imagining it. Posts have been popping up nonstop in neighborhood Facebook groups, with residents venting about being blocked in, sometimes right after they finished shoveling.

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One of my coworkers who lives in Kent County even shared a photo from just yesterday showing a literal mountain of snow piled in front of his driveway. Yes, that’s his driveway in the photo below and his wife waist-deep amid snow and ice after the plow came through - yikes!

Tips to Keep Your Driveway Clear

The good news is the City of Grand Rapids says they are well aware of how frustrating this can be and have shared a few tips that could help reduce the chances of it happening again.

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In a post on social media, Grand Rapids Transportation Services acknowledged the issue directly:

“We know it’s frustrating when plows push snow back into your driveway These tips might help:”

Here’s what they recommend:

• Shovel all the way to the end of your driveway and leave about three feet of clearance along the curb.
• Pile snow in your yard, either along the boulevard between the sidewalk and the street, or in the yard to the right of your driveway and mailbox as you face the road. That placement helps prevent plows from pushing it straight back into your exit.
• Follow odd-even parking rules so plows can evenly clear roads as they come through.

They also offered a reminder worth keeping in mind before firing off a rage post. Grand Rapids alone has more than 600 miles of roads, and crews are out 24 hours a day during the winter as snow continues to fall.

Is it annoying? Absolutely. But if a few strategic shovel moves can save you from digging out a second time, it might be worth it, even if it feels wildly unfair in the moment.