Snow Removal Questions

We have no citywide price survey, so treat these as estimates. A local Syracuse contractor's price page lists residential snow removal at about $30 to $50 an hour and commercial work (sidewalks, lots, drives and loading docks) at about $100 to $300 an hour. HomeGuide's national averages put driveway plowing at $30 to $70 a visit and a seasonal contract at $200 to $600. Your real price depends on the size of the area, how often it snows and whether salting is included. A local crew quotes it for free.

By 6 p.m. the day after the snow falls. Syracuse Sec. 24-3 puts that on the owner, the owner's agent or the occupant. Downtown, in the special assessment district, the deadline is 4 hours after the snow stops, not counting 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. or Sundays; overnight snow is due by noon, and Sunday snow by noon Monday. If the snow or ice is frozen too hard to remove, the city says to cover it with salt or sand and clean it off as soon as the weather allows.

Maybe, but you are still responsible. The Syracuse DPW plows about 145 miles of busy sidewalks when 3 inches or more of snow falls. The city calls that program supplemental: property owners remain responsible for clearing their walks.

No. Syracuse Sec. 24-4 bars putting snow or ice into any street gutter, public square, park or sidewalk, and Sec. 24-5 sets a fine of up to $100. Snow removal contractors face a $150 fine under the city's snow removal contractor rules. Agree on where the piles go before the first storm.

Park on the odd-numbered side of the street from 6 p.m. on an odd-numbered day until 6 p.m. on an even-numbered day, then switch to the even side. The city lists exception days (Jan. 1, Feb. 1, Apr. 1, Jun. 1, Aug. 1, Sep. 1 and Nov. 1, plus Mar. 1 in leap years), and cars on the wrong side can be ticketed or towed. Moving on time lets plows reach the curb.

On signed downtown blocks, parking alternates sides from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., November 1 to April 1. Police ticket and tow illegally parked cars on snow priority streets, such as hospital routes and steep hills, and on narrow roads. In a significant snowfall the city asks drivers to move cars off the street.

Syracuse averages 127.8 inches of snow a season (NOAA), so roof snow is a real winter job here. Heavy snow at the roof edge can melt and refreeze into ice dams that push water under shingles. A roof rake used from the ground keeps the edge clear. HomeGuide's national averages put roof snow removal at $200 to $500 for a standard roof and $1,000 to $2,000 for a large or steep one. Hire a pro for anything that needs a ladder.

A seasonal contract locks in your spot on the route and a set price for the winter. Pay-per-visit means you pay only when it snows. The Syracuse airport averages about 34.1 days a year with an inch or more of snow (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), which is a lot of visits to pay for one at a time. HomeGuide's national average for a seasonal contract is $200 to $600. If you can't wait for a callback after a lake-effect dump, a seasonal spot is usually the safer bet.

Before the first snow. Our count of 29 seasons of NOAA daily records at the Syracuse airport puts the median date of the first measurable snow on November 8, so October is the time to get on a route.

Lake-effect snow. The National Weather Service says westerly winds across Lake Ontario bring heavy lake-effect snow along the I-81 corridor between Syracuse and Watertown. The bands are narrow, so conditions can change fast over a few miles. Ask your contractor how they handle call-backs when a band sits over your street.

Please do. Syracuse has more than 5,000 fire hydrants, and the Fire Department asks residents to keep a 3-foot circle clear around them so firefighters can find and use them fast.

Yes. Requests from this site go to a local snow and landscape contractor that quotes townhome and condo associations, apartment communities and commercial lots, from small offices to big retail centers, campuses and medical sites. Commercial and HOA work is priced per site after a walk-through.

It is usually priced per application or built into a seasonal contract, and every site is different. Ask whether the quote uses rock salt, a treated blend or a pet-safe product. With a normal January low of 16.5°F at the Syracuse airport (NOAA), ask too how the crew handles the coldest nights.

Many do. Industry group SIMA reports that more than half of snow and ice businesses are also lawn and landscape providers, and the average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow. The same crew that plows in January may mow, clean up and plant the rest of the year.

Fill out the free quote form with your name, phone, ZIP code and what needs clearing. A local crew contacts you with questions and a price. There is no cost and no obligation to ask.

The City of Syracuse plows about 145 miles of busy sidewalks when 3 inches or more falls, but it says that program is supplemental and property owners remain responsible for clearing their walks by 6 p.m. the next day.

Syracuse Sec. 24-4 bars pushing snow or ice into the street gutter or onto the sidewalk. Owners can be fined up to $100, and snow removal contractors $150.

Lake-effect bands are narrow. The National Weather Service says heavy lake-effect snow sets up along the I-81 corridor, and conditions can change fast over a few miles.

Heavy snow at the roof edge can melt and refreeze into ice dams that push water under shingles. A roof rake used from the ground keeps the edge clear. Hire a pro for anything that needs a ladder.