Street Division
The Public Works Street Division maintains 355 lane miles of roadways/City streets, 97 miles of storm drain piping, 2565 catch basins, 486 man holes, 7 storm water treatment units, 93 outfalls to the Chena River and Noyes Slough 5000 street/traffic signs, 2824 street lights, 27 miles of sidewalks. Provides snow removal, sweeping, sanding, pumping and thawing of drains and operates a sign shop to repair/replace street and traffic signs.
Storm Drain Maintenance
During the summer, crews are out sweeping streets and cleaning out storm drains in gutters and collection basins. The also jet clean buried drainage pipes, cut or dig out vegetation in ditches to improve water flow during rain storms and spring run-off. Homes and businesses should sweep sanding chips on sidewalks to the curb for faster collection by our street sweepers. Currently, Public Works does not have enough working sidewalk sweepers to sweep all the sidewalks each summer. Purchasing new sidewalk sweepers is a high priority for Public Works.
Potholes and Paving
During warmer months, a pothole patching crew is deployed to fill potholes on City streets. Residents are encouraged to notify Public Works about potholes by sending pictures with address location to PWmail@fairbanks.us. Pothole lists are generated for crews to follow and fill. In June we staffa night patch crew to fix potholes on daytime high traffic streets.
Larger paving projects are done by a paving crew with operators and laborers.
Street Signs and Traffic Signs
Public Works operates a sign shop year round to be able to repair damaged or missing traffic signs or street signs. Residents are encouraged to notify Public Works about missing or damaged traffic signs or street signs by sending pictures with address location to PWmail@fairbanks.us.
Snow Removal Operations
The City of Fairbanks mission is to provide expedient and efficient snow removal operation to maintain safe driving and walking conditions. There are two separate snow removal operations. The first is during the storm itself and consists of quick passes with graders to keep priority roads, streets, and sidewalks passable. The second operation consists of widening roads by removing snow berms. Snow removal does not occur every time plowing operations occur. The time required to plow or remove snow will vary depending on many factors including timing and durations of storms, extreme cold temperatures, equipment breakdowns, and available personnel to staff both day and night shifts.
Equipment Summary
- 12 Dump Trucks + 2 pending purchase
- 2 Sanding Trucks
- 9 Graders
- 1 Back Hoe
- 4 Loaders
- 2 Articulated Sidewalk Tractors + 1 pending purchase
- 3 Snow Blower Attachments
- 2 Self-contained Blowers
- 4 Boiler Trucks
- 4 Sweepers
- 1 Turf Rake and Tractor
- 2 Jet Vac Trucks
Snow Plowing Priorities
When heavy snows are occurring, streets are plowed on a priority basis. The city is divided into seven geographic residential areas/neighborhoods. CLICK HERE to read more information about the snow removal priorities and schedule. Each year Public Works rotates the list to begin with the next area first. Depending on funding levels for hiring temporary staff it takes approximately 4-6 weeks to get through all the residential neighborhoods, before the next round of plowing begins. Depending on snow volumes, removal of snow berms will occur 1-2 times per winter.
Driveway Snow Berms
The City is not responsible for clearing all snow berms from your driveway. Public Works employees work to minimize driveway berms by using snow gates on equipment. At times there may be small snow berms left across driveways. It is best to wait until snow plowing operations have been completed in your neighborhood before shoveling out your driveway area adjacent to the road to avoid shoveling the same area twice.
Pushing Snow Into Roads or onto Sidewalks
Per Fairbanks Municipal Code 70-321, moving snow or ice from private property onto any sidewalk or street is prohibited. However, snow from sidewalks can be moved into the adjacent street.
Sanding Priorities
Sanding begins when unsafe conditions exist or are anticipated to exist soon. Sanding follows the same lists for street priorities but also includes intersections and round-abouts. Sand trucks often follow snow plowing equipment. Sanding may be suspended if the sand will be covered up by continued heavy snow fall or freezing rain. During these conditions, it is difficult to keep adequate sanding chips on streets and sidewalks, extra caution or avoiding travel is advised. Sanding crews cannot be in all places at all times, please use caution when driving on snow and ice. To report dangerous driving conditions call 459-6770.
Springtime Operations
In the spring, Public Works uses boiler trucks to thaw out frozen storm drains, as well as water pumps and jet vac trucks to eliminate pooling water on city streets.
Streetlights
If you would like to report a malfunctioning streetlight you may email PWMail@fairbanks.us with the location of the light, the six-digit light identification number and type of malfunction (on during day, out, flickers on and off or damaged).
Streets
If you have a street concern you may email PWMail@fairbanks.us with a location and brief message of what the concern is.
Sidewalks
The routine maintenance of sidewalks; snow removable and sweeping of sanding chips and leaves, is the responsibility of the home owner or business whose property is bordered by sidewalks.
Sidewalks are replaced when funds are available. Sidewalks that are lifted due to tree or plant-life roots are not considered for replacement until the affecting root source is eliminated by the property owner. Sidewalk panels within the driveway approach are not considered for replacement by the City. Sidewalk that is cracked, scaling or otherwise not esthetically pleasing, are also not considered for replacement. If you have a sidewalk you are concerned about you may wish to submit an online work request. We will get to the requests as funds allow.
