Street activity
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Use StreetSmartPHL during an active event to view roadway treatment and search an address.
Open PlowPHLPhiladelphia, PA winter guide
Philadelphia snow plow and parking guide.
Philadelphia uses primary, secondary, and tertiary snow routes. PlowPHL shows treatment during an active event, while signed snow-emergency routes must be cleared of vehicles and dumpsters when an emergency is declared.
Reviewed September 1, 2026Philadelphia Department of Streets
ROUTE ORDERPrimary to tertiary
EMERGENCY ROUTES110 signed miles
SIDEWALK DEADLINEWithin 6 hours
Start with the official answer
Three useful ways to check Philadelphia
These links go directly to the city tools residents need during a storm.
Parking
Check snow-emergency routes
See whether the block is on a signed route that must remain clear during a declaration.
Read emergency-route rulesOfficial updates
Follow the city snow event
Review current operations, resident responsibilities, and Philly311 instructions.
Open Philadelphia snow eventsHow the response unfolds
What happens before your street is finished
Philadelphia follows a local sequence. Knowing the phase explains why one road can be clear while another is still waiting.
- 1Primary routes
Protect the main network
Crews first treat major roads, emergency routes, and streets most important to citywide travel.
- 2Secondary routes
Connect neighborhoods
The next phase expands to connecting routes after primary roads are sufficiently maintained.
- 3Tertiary routes
Reach smaller streets
Lower-priority streets follow as conditions and the size of the deployment allow. Not every street is treated in every event.
Before leaving the car
Philadelphia parking rules that matter
- When a snow emergency is declared, remove vehicles and dumpsters from the city’s signed snow-emergency routes.
- Vehicles left on an active route can be ticketed and moved.
- Check the city declaration and posted signs; a normal parking space can become restricted during the event.
Resident checklist
What to do during the storm
- 1
Clear a sidewalk path at least 36 inches wide within six hours after snowfall ends.
- 2
Clear nearby curb cuts, drains, and a three-to-five-foot area around hydrants where applicable.
- 3
Do not shovel or blow snow into the street.
- 4
Check PlowPHL and the route priority before contacting Philly311.
Service boundaries
Who clears what in Philadelphia
The city plow department is not responsible for every road, sidewalk, driveway, alley, or parking area.
Philadelphia Streets Department
Treats city roads through primary, secondary, and tertiary route priorities.
Drivers and dumpster owners
Remove vehicles and dumpsters from signed snow-emergency routes during a declaration.
Property owners and occupants
Clear adjoining sidewalks and pedestrian access within the six-hour deadline.
If the street looks missed
Not every event reaches every street
Wait until the city’s announced deployment and the street’s route priority have been worked. Smaller events may not include every tertiary street.
- 1Search the address in PlowPHL.
- 2Check the current event and route priority.
- 3Contact Philly311 for an eligible city street after that phase.
Local questions answered
Philadelphia snow plow FAQ
Short answers for the questions residents usually have during an active storm.
Does Philadelphia plow every street in every event?
No. The city scales the deployment to the event and works primary, secondary, and tertiary routes in order.
What must leave a snow-emergency route?
Vehicles and dumpsters must be removed after an emergency is declared. Violations can be ticketed and moved.
How wide must the sidewalk path be?
At least 36 inches, cleared within six hours after snowfall stops.
Verify the answer
Official Philadelphia sources
Storm conditions and emergency rules change. These are the public-agency pages used for this guide.
More official guides