From Hills to Cul-de-Sacs: Inside Rochester’s Snow Removal Secrets

With the biggest snowstorm of the winter taking aim at Minnesota, if you've ever wondered just what it takes to get the snow cleared from your streets in Rochester, here's how they do it.

First off, here's a shout-out to all the hard-working Rochester employees who work around the clock to keep our streets and roads in the Med City clear of ice and snow during another Minnesota winter. While most of us hunker down, snug in our homes during a winter storm, they put on their jackets, gloves, and boots and head out to keep things moving.

Massive Winter Storm Now Taking Aim at Rochester, Minnesota

And, while the winter of 2026 has been fairly quiet, that could change in a hurry this weekend. The National Weather Service is predicting the Rochester area could be hit with anywhere from 8 to 12 inches of snow between Saturday and Sunday evening. Other weather forecasters are predicting even MORE snow, too-- the Weather Channel says we could see between 17 and 27 inches by Sunday night!

SEE ALSO: Why Those Stripes Appear in the Streets in Rochester Before It Snows

Getting the streets clear in a city like Rochester during a massive winter storm is a monumental task. But how do they decide which streets to plow first? (And, how do they always seem to come by my house and dump a load of snow at the end of my driveway right AFTER I shoveled it out? Just kidding!)

How the City of Rochester Prioritizes Snow Plowing

Well, according to the city of Rochester website, there are over 500 miles of roads, 9 miles of alleys, 544 cul-de-sacs, 40 miles of sidewalks, and bike paths within the city limits of Rochester.

Get our free mobile app

And, according to the city of Rochester Facebook page, the city attacks that snow with "32 plow trucks, 4 graders, 5 loaders, 6 light-duty trucks, and 2 sidewalk machines. This means nearly 50 dedicated operators do their best to keep roadways and pedestrian areas safe during the most treacherous conditions," the post noted.

Understanding Rochester's Emergency Snow Removal Strategy

Here's how they do it: The site says the priority for plowing streets in Rochester is: main roads, the central business district, hills, bridges, bus routes, and around schools. Once those areas are clear, resources will be directed to other streets. (That'd be our neighborhood streets).

More specifically, the site has even more details:

+ Small snow events (less than 2" of snow) are typically treated in less than 8 hours by a fleet of 21 plow trucks, 2-3 pick-up trucks, and two sidewalk machines.

+ Snow events of 2-4" are typically treated in approximately 8 hours by a fleet of 28 plow trucks, 4 graders, 5 loaders, 3 one-ton trucks to clear cul-de-sacs, 2-3 pick-up trucks, and 2 sidewalk machines.

+ Large snow events (more than 4") take approximately 3 days to be completely cleaned up. Roads will be cleared in the first 12 hours. Snow will be hauled out of the Central Business District overnight on day 2. Street widening and miscellaneous clean-up will happen on the 3rd day after the snowfall.