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Mayor, staff urge clearer enforcement and outreach for Kankakee snow routes after ride-along
Summary
City officials described ride-alongs with snow crews, safety concerns with parked cars on snow routes and options ranging from targeted towing to outreach door-hangers. The board discussed enforcement, communications and next steps.
City officials recounted a recent ride-along with snow-plow crews and urged council consideration of stricter enforcement of Kankakee’s snow-route ordinance after municipal crews encountered parked cars that limited clearance and slowed plow operations.
Public works staff member Mr. Hassick briefed the board on recent operations, telling aldermen that crews have provided 24-hour coverage during snow events and that residential parking on plow routes often prevents curb-to-curb clearing. “We have 24 hours of coverage anytime an event happens,” Hassick said, and he praised crews for long shifts and work in difficult conditions. Mayor and several aldermen said they rode with crews and saw streets where cars left only two to three inches of clearance beside plow blades, slowing plows to walking speed and creating safety and equipment-damage risks.
The mayor summarized the issue bluntly: “It’s either we get rid of the ordinance or we enforce the ordinance.” He said enforcement could initially trigger complaints and towing, and suggested it might take dozens of tows for residents to accept strict enforcement. Aldermen discussed options for public outreach such as social media, press releases, and door hangers; one alderman suggested a printed door hanger would reach a larger share of residents than social media alone.
Board members clarified the local ordinance’s threshold: snow routes are enforced when snowfall reaches 2 inches or more. Staff noted that some streets are marked with signs and that where a street is scheduled for resurfacing the city will avoid redoing the upper pavement work around manholes until the road project occurs.
No formal vote was taken on enforcement changes; members asked staff to pursue outreach and return with further information. The board discussed timing for outreach—targeting outreach in September and October ahead of winter—and asked staff to coordinate with ECDA for distribution of door hangers and public messaging.
Speakers asked the public be given clear notice if towing is to be used; several aldermen expressed appreciation for the crews’ long shifts and suggested ride-alongs as a demonstration for council members.
