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Check the street’s priority
Warrior Watch shows whether a street is Priority 1, 2, or 3 and when service was recorded.
Open Warrior WatchColumbus, OH winter guide
Columbus snow plow and parking guide.
Columbus residents can search Warrior Watch to see a street’s priority and its latest recorded service. Priority 1 arterials come first, followed by Priority 2 collectors and Priority 3 local residential streets.
Reviewed September 1, 2026City of Columbus Department of Public Service
PRIORITY 1Arterial streets
PRIORITY 2Residential collectors
PRIORITY 3Local streets
Start with the official answer
Three useful ways to check Columbus
These links go directly to the city tools residents need during a storm.
City plan
Read the snow response
See how Columbus assigns equipment and moves from arterial roads into residential streets.
Open Columbus snow planNeed help
Use Columbus 311
Contact the city for an eligible street issue after its priority phase has been worked.
Check official city guidanceHow the response unfolds
What happens before your street is finished
Columbus follows a local sequence. Knowing the phase explains why one road can be clear while another is still waiting.
- 1Priority 1
Arterials and critical routes
Crews first maintain the city’s main traffic network and routes important to emergency travel.
- 2Priority 2
Residential collectors
Collector streets that connect neighborhoods to arterials follow the main route work.
- 3Priority 3
Local residential streets
Neighborhood streets are serviced after higher priorities and can wait longer during a continuing storm.
Before leaving the car
Columbus parking rules that matter
- Follow posted temporary restrictions and any emergency notice issued for the event.
- Keep vehicles away from corners and narrow areas where they can block a plow’s path.
- Do not crowd or pass working plows; the road immediately around the truck may be less safe than it appears.
Resident checklist
What to do during the storm
- 1
Search the address in Warrior Watch before estimating when a local street will be reached.
- 2
Look at both the assigned priority and the latest service window.
- 3
Keep shoveled snow, carts, and other objects out of the travel lane.
- 4
Wait for the street’s priority phase before contacting 311 about a missed location.
Service boundaries
Who clears what in Columbus
The city plow department is not responsible for every road, sidewalk, driveway, alley, or parking area.
Columbus Public Service
Maintains city streets through the three-priority snow and ice control plan.
Residents and property owners
Maintain private areas and sidewalks and keep obstacles out of the plow path.
Other agencies and owners
State routes, private roads, lots, and driveways may have a different operator.
If the street looks missed
Priority 3 streets normally wait the longest
Check Warrior Watch before reporting. A local street may not be due yet while Priority 1 and Priority 2 routes are still being maintained.
- 1Search the address in Warrior Watch.
- 2Note the street priority and latest service time.
- 3Contact Columbus 311 if the assigned phase has passed without service.
Local questions answered
Columbus snow plow FAQ
Short answers for the questions residents usually have during an active storm.
What does Priority 3 mean?
It is a local residential street. Crews normally reach it after arterials and residential collector streets.
What can Warrior Watch tell me?
Search an address to see the street priority and recorded service during recent three, six, twelve, twenty-four, or seventy-two-hour windows.
Why should I stay behind a plow?
The operator has limited visibility, and the road beside or ahead of the truck may be untreated. Leave space and do not pass a working plow.
Verify the answer
Official Columbus sources
Storm conditions and emergency rules change. These are the public-agency pages used for this guide.
More official guides