CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Because winter storms bring strong winds and heavy snow, maintaining clear roads can be challenging. That's why the City of Cedar Rapids relies on snow fencing to keep drivers and roads safe.
“It stops the wind from blowing as hard as possible, it pushes the snow down and creates a temporary drift away from the roadway,” said Brett Lerch, director of the city of Cedar Rapids' highway department.
Traditional snow fences are made of wooden strips or plastic sheets and held together by metal posts and wires. Neat and maintained fences can be reused and can last up to 20 years.
Snow fences are a cost-effective way to control and reduce the amount of snow that accumulates on roads, helping to reduce the pressure on snow plow and road clearing crews.
Cedar Rapids city officials monitor the locations in the city that need these fences the most based on snow frequency and the streets that receive the most traffic.
“When you see a snow fence next to the roadway, you know that’s a trouble spot for us,” Lerch said.
The city installed a 2,000-foot-long snow fence along 18th St. SW, north of the Eastern Iowa Airport, to keep snow off the streets in the winter, as the area sees heavy traffic, especially this time of year.
City officials also point out that snow fences help reduce snow removal costs.
“Anything that helps us and our work on the return trips so that we don’t have to constantly look after a small area,” said Lerch. “Anything that helps us keep the snow from getting onto the roadway is less snow that we have to push.”
In addition to artificial snow fences, there are also living snow fences. Natural snow fences are barriers made of plants such as trees, shrubs or grasses that are strategically planted to slow the wind and trap snow.
For more details on Iowa snow fences, click here.