Live operation
See where Bozeman is working
Open the official winter dashboard for current plow activity and residential schedule information.
Open Bozeman winter dashboardBozeman, MT winter guide
Bozeman snow plow and parking guide.
Bozeman's live dashboard shows winter operations. City plows keep emergency, arterial, collector, and business routes open before motor graders enter residential streets after at least four inches. State roads, private streets, and Montana State University roads have different operators.
Reviewed September 2, 2026City of Bozeman Streets Division
RESIDENTIAL TRIGGER4+ inches
STREET PARKINGMove every 72 hours
SIDEWALK DEADLINEWithin 24 hours
Start with the official answer
Three useful ways to check Bozeman
These links go directly to the city tools residents need during a storm.
Road owner
Identify the plow operator
Learn how city, Montana DOT, private, and university streets are marked before choosing where to call.
Read Bozeman snow plowing guidanceMove the car
Check the signed pilot blocks
Selected streets use a Tuesday alternate-side schedule from December through March when snow and ice are present.
Read Bozeman alternate-side parkingHow the response unfolds
What happens before your street is finished
Bozeman follows a local sequence. Knowing the phase explains why one road can be clear while another is still waiting.
- 1City snow routes
Protect emergency and busy streets
Yellow city plows stay on arterial, collector, emergency, and business routes during active snowfall.
- 2Residential work
Deploy graders after four inches
Once priority routes are clear, motor graders follow the residential schedule shown by the city.
- 3Street widening
Use snow gates where possible
Graders use snow gates near driveways, mailboxes, and intersections, but deep snow and parked cars can limit their effect.
Before leaving the car
Bozeman parking rules that matter
- Move vehicles off the street during snowfall when possible and at least every 72 consecutive hours.
- Selected signed pilot streets use either the first and third Tuesday or second and fourth Tuesday from December 1 through March 31.
- Move to the required side Monday evening because plowing can begin at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
- The pilot is enforced when snow and ice are present; no pilot restriction applies on a fifth Tuesday.
Resident checklist
What to do during the storm
- 1
Open the dashboard before reporting an ordinary missed city street.
- 2
Identify yellow city plows, orange Montana DOT routes, blue signed private streets, and Montana State University roads.
- 3
Move vehicles, trailers, campers, and boats off the street before a scheduled residential pass.
- 4
Clear adjoining sidewalks within 24 hours after snowfall.
- 5
Keep private snow out of streets and public travel space.
Service boundaries
Who clears what in Bozeman
The city plow department is not responsible for every road, sidewalk, driveway, alley, or parking area.
Bozeman Streets Division
Maintains city roads, runs the winter dashboard, plows priority routes, and grades residential streets after qualifying snow.
Montana DOT, MSU, and private owners
MDT handles listed state routes, MSU Facilities handles campus streets, and associations or contractors handle blue signed private streets.
Residents and businesses
Move parked vehicles, clear adjoining sidewalks within 24 hours, and keep removed snow out of the street.
If the street looks missed
Use the correct road owner
Residential city streets wait until at least four inches have accumulated and the main snow routes are clear. Active snowfall may return crews to priority routes.
- 1Use the dashboard and street signs to determine whether the road is city, state, university, or private.
- 2Check the residential schedule and allow the assigned pass to progress.
- 3Call the city Shop Complex only for an eligible Bozeman maintained street issue.
Local questions answered
Bozeman snow plow FAQ
Short answers for the questions residents usually have during an active storm.
When does Bozeman plow residential streets?
Motor graders begin after at least four inches and after emergency, arterial, collector, and business routes are clear. Check the dashboard for the residential schedule.
Who plows North 19th, North 7th, Main Street, or Huffine Lane?
Montana DOT maintains those routes or sections of them. Use the city guidance and signs to confirm the operator before calling.
Does all of Bozeman use alternate-side parking?
No. The pilot applies only to selected signed streets on their assigned Tuesdays when snow and ice are present.
Verify the answer
Official Bozeman sources
Storm conditions and emergency rules change. These are the public-agency pages used for this guide.
More official guides