St. Joseph County Winter Weather Operations – December 13, 2026 

Thank you to everyone for your patience during the recent winter storm. With forecasts indicating the potential for snow accumulation this weekend, St. Joseph County crews are prepared to respond as conditions warrant. We would also like to provide a brief overview of what residents can expect during winter weather events. Moving forward, this platform will be used to share updates and keep residents informed during future storms. Future notices will be shorter and not contain the general information noted below. 

Winter weather provides many challenges for road crews clearing the County’s over 2,100 lane miles of roadway and almost 850 cul de secs. During winter weather events, St. Joseph County Highway crews work to keep roads passable and safe for travel based on available resources, equipment, and weather conditions. 

❄️ Level of Service – What to Expect 
St. Joseph County does not operate under a bare-pavement policy during winter events. Our focus is on maintaining passable roadways. Passable means vehicles can safely travel at speeds appropriate for the weather conditions; it does not mean bare or dry pavement.  

• Main and secondary roads are prioritized first to maintain mobility and emergency access throughout the County. There are only a handful of Main Roads where the entire roadway is salted. On all other roads, salt is applied only at the critical areas such as bridges, intersections, curves and hills. 

• Subdivisions and residential streets are addressed only after main routes are passable. Initial subdivision plowing typically consists of one pass in and one pass out to allow two-way traffic. This method does not clear the roadway curb to curb but provides sufficient width for two-way traffic.  

• Curb-to-curb cleanup in subdivisions occurs only when weather conditions allow and when it does not compromise main and secondary road operations. Even at this stage, bare pavement should not be expected. 

• Bare pavement should not be expected during or immediately following winter weather events, especially when temperatures remain below freezing. Depending on snowfall amounts and sustained cold conditions, it may take several days of above-freezing temperatures before roads return to bare pavement. 

• Subdivision roads are not salted. During significant snowfall events, snow can become compacted on subdivision streets. When temperatures rise above freezing, this compacted snow often turns to slush, and because thawing is uneven, patches of ice can remain on the roadway. Our crews will return to subdivisions to plow slush and address icy areas as best as possible. These conditions can worsen when temperatures fluctuate between above freezing during the day and refreeze overnight. While crews work to address these issues as quickly as possible, it may take several consecutive days of above-freezing temperatures for conditions to fully improve. 

🔄 Cul-de-Sac Operations 
During the initial pass in a cul-de-sac, snow is pushed toward the center of the roadway to allow access and maintain traffic movement. When crews are able to return for full cleanup, the snow is redistributed more evenly along the edge of the roadway. As a result, every home within a cul-de-sac will receive snow along its frontage. 

There are more than 850 cul-de-sacs in the unincorporated areas of the County, and completing full cleanup in all of them takes considerable time. We appreciate residents’ patience as crews work through these areas. 

To help crews plow more effectively, residents are asked to avoid parking along cul-de-sacs during and immediately following snow events whenever possible. 

🚗 Please Drive for Conditions 
Motorists are reminded to slow down, allow extra stopping distance, and stay at least 200 feet behind snowplows. Plow trucks may stop or back up to apply materials—please give them room to work. 

📞 Questions or Concerns 
For non-emergency questions, please contact the Department of Infrastructure, Planning & Growth at (574) 235-7800 during regular business hours. For emergencies, please call 911. 

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as our crews work throughout the winter season to maintain safe and passable roads.