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Street Maintenance

The City of Prior Lake maintains nearly 100 miles of existing local streets. The city utilizes a variety of maintenance methods including bituminous patching, crack sealing, seal coating and overlaying to maximize the life of streets. Many of the streets built in the 70s and 80s are showing substantial wear due to older construction methods and the soils underneath. The city is committed to reconstructing these streets. Until that time, the city will utilize available funding to keep them safe and useable.

Maintenance and construction workers can be very vulnerable when working on street repairs and construction. Please use care and patience when maneuvering around or through construction zones. For questions regarding scheduled projects, contact Public Works at (952) 447-9830 or visit the Street and Utility Projects page.

The largest improvement to streets each year is the street overlay projects in early summer. Residential street seal coating will take also place in early June. Pavement crack sealing is scheduled for many areas throughout the community. For more information, click for Street Maintenance Map.

The Street Maintenance Policy defines street maintenance activities, and the street sign, sidewalk and trail inspection, street sweeping and winter maintenance policies. It outlines snow and ice control objectives and procedures as established by the City of Prior Lake and information on priority snow routes and proper mailbox placement to protect it from the snow plows.

If a city snowplow damages your mailbox or other property, contact the Public Works Department at (952) 447-9830. In most cases, the City will replace the mailbox in the spring with a 4x4 Cedar Post and mailbox (or $30), but does not replace ornamental or structural mailboxes of stone or concrete in the right of way, reserving the right to use that property for snow storage. Click here for the Mail Box Regulations.

Below are the spring load restrictions for the City of Prior Lake as determined by Mn/DOT. During these times, county, city and township roads, unless posted otherwise, are limited to the axle limits as shown on this load limit map (click here). For state highway load restrictions, see the MnDOT Office of Materials and Road Research website.

In order to expedite the prompt and efficient removal of snow from the streets of the city, it is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any vehicle or permit it to stand on any street within the city between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. from Nov. 1 until March 31 of the following year. During all other times of the year, it is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any vehicle or permit it to stand on any public street within the city between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. after a continuous or intermittent snowfall during which there has been an accumulation of two inches or more of snow on any street, and until the snow has been plowed or removed to the full width of the street. Any vehicle parked in violation of this subsection may be towed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 169.041. A violation of this subsection shall be a petty misdemeanor. The city contracts with Allen's Towing Service at (952) 894-1000, 7215 W. 128th St. in Savage.

1. Yield to snowplows. They travel slower than posted speeds.

2. Give snowplow drivers plenty of room to do their jobs.

3. Never drive into a snow cloud.

4. Slow down! Never use cruise control on wet or icy roads.

5. Stay alert. A snowplow weighs 17 times more than a car. In a crash, occupants of a car are much more likely to be seriously injured.

6. Be patient. Follow at a safe distance. Allow at least five car lengths between your vehicle and a snowplow.

Residential street seal coating will take place in early June. Street and Utility crews are currently in the process of tagging houses and businesses that are in this years street seal coat areas. Do not park in the street or blow grass clippings into the street. When can you drive on a road that has been seal coated? As soon as the rock is down, which is seconds after the oil is applied.

Pavement crack sealing is scheduled for many areas throughout the community every year.

City staff asks residents to obey all warning signs and slow travel in and around construction work zones. For questions regarding scheduled projects, contact Public Works at (952) 447-9830.

Click for Street Maintenance Map

Spring sweeping of snow and ice control aggregate will begin when streets are significantly clear of snow and ice, usually late March or early April, after the risk of later snowfall has passed. Spring sweeping is typically completed by May 15. Fall sweeping will commence Sept. 15 and typically is completed by Nov. 15. Areas with extensive foliage will be swept after most of the leaves have fallen.

Street Sweeping Study

The City of Prior Lake Maintenance Department is conducting a two-year study to determine the amount of street sweeping that is most beneficial for our lakes and other various bodies of water. This will result in an increase in street sweeping for some streets, specifically those closest to a body of water. To see if your street will be affected, click here for a map and click here for a brochure to learn more about this cutting-edge study. This study will run from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2012.

MN. Statute 169.14 establishes statutory speed limits on most typical roadways under ideal conditions. All other speed limits are set by the DOT Commissioner based upon an engineering and traffic investigation. The Office of Traffic, Security and Operations (OTSO) administers the speed limit program and determines the policy and practices to execute such studies. The district traffic offices perform the studies. In gen

eral, Mn/DOT follows the guidelines for determining safe speeds as prescribed by the National Institute of Transportation Engineers. OTSO also systematically monitors travel speeds on major categories of roads for overall system performance." For more information on speed limits, please visit the Minn. Dept. of Transportation website.