Snow & Ice Control

The Brown County Engineer's Office wants to inform residents about its responsibilities regarding snow and ice control, and what property owners can expect during winter weather.

Mailboxes and Fences

The Brown County Engineer's Highway Maintenance Department strives to protect mailboxes, but damage can occur during heavy snow. Residents are encouraged to inspect and reinforce or replace deteriorated mailboxes and posts before winter.

  • Direct Contact: The County will repair or replace mailboxes/fences only if they were properly installed AND damaged by direct contact with County snow removal equipment.
  • Snow Force: Damage caused by the force of plowed snow (snow discharge) is the homeowner's responsibility.

* If a replacement is necessary due to direct contact, a standard rural mailbox and support will be used. The County will not replace non-standard, custom-lettered, or oversized mailboxes.

Snow Removal and Driveways

Plowed snow often creates "windrows" (piles of snow) at the end of driveways; clearing these is the homeowner's responsibility. It is illegal to plow or blow snow from driveways onto or across County roads.

Tip: When clearing your driveway, pile snow to the right (when facing the road). This prevents the plow from pushing the snow back into your driveway when it passes.

Truck Safety & Right-of-Way

  • Maintain Distance: Drivers should stay at least 50 feet behind snow trucks.
  • Parked Vehicles: Keep vehicles and property out of the right-of-way. Residents must remove parked vehicles from County roads to facilitate snow removal.
  • Yielding: Drivers must yield to oncoming snow trucks. The road shoulder is often too soft to support the weight of a loaded salt truck, preventing them from moving over.
  • Narrow Roads: On narrow roads, please pull into a driveway and allow the snow truck to pass safely.