Emergency Routes
Reminder to Philadelphia residents/property owners:
Within six hours of the end of a snowfall or freezing rain, you must clear a path at least 36
inches wide on your sidewalk including curb cuts. Do not shovel or sweep the snow into the street.
The penalty for violating this regulation can range from $50 up to $300 for each violation.
To report a sidewalk that has not been cleared,
call the Streets Department Customer Affairs Unit at
215-686-5560.
When snow accumulations approach emergency status, the Managing Director may declare a snow emergency. Once emergency status is declared, the City's 110 miles of Snow Emergency Routes receive priority. Owners of vehicles and dumpsters must move them to alternate parking spaces so City forces can clear snow from curb-to-curb on the emergency routes.
Any vehicle remaining on a Snow Emergency Route during the declared Snow Emergency will be ticketed and towed.
If your car is towed, call 215-686-SNOW for its location. Do NOT call 911.
Snow Routes
In order to provide effective service during winter storms, streets are divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary route systems. The primary route system encompasses 665 miles, including 110 miles of Snow Emergency Routes. The secondary route system includes another 700 miles of streets (both systems exclude the roadway maintained by the Parks and Recreation). The balance of City streets falls into the tertiary street system, covering approximately 1,125 miles of streets, 25 miles of which are private streets.
Primary Routes
Major arterials and access to emergency snow routes (police/fire stations, hospitals, etc.) are kept open to provide a transportation system for these facilities. These include Snow Emergency Routes. In a snow emergency, these routes are the first routes cleared.
Secondary Routes
Secondary major and minor arterials and collector streets generally give access to schools, business areas, grocery stores, and service stations. These routes are cleared after primary routes are serviced.
Tertiary Routes
All other City streets are plowed after Primary and Secondary streets have been serviced.
The primary and secondary route systems are salted as soon as significant moisture has accumulated to minimize potentially dangerous travel conditions. Plowing begins when buildup of snow is such that salting is no longer effective.
Reminder to Philadelphia residents/property owners:
Within six hours of the end of a snowfall or freezing rain, you must clear a path at least 36 inches wide on your sidewalk. Do not shovel or sweep the snow into the street. The penalty for violating this regulation can range from $25 up to $300 for each violation.
To report a sidewalk that has not been cleared, call the Streets Department Customer Affairs Unit at 215- 686-5560.
If your car is towed or you need more information, please call: 215-686-SNOW
Text of Snow Emergency Routes (PDF)
Map of Snow Emergency Routes (PDF)
| ON |
FROM |
TO |
| 06TH ST |
I-676 OFF RAMP |
MARKET ST |
| 07TH ST |
MARKET ST |
I-676 ON RAMP |
| 15TH ST |
I-676 OFF RAMP |
MARKET ST |
| 16TH ST |
MARKET ST |
I-676 ON RAMP |
| 20TH ST |
CHESTNUT ST |
MARKET ST |
| 26TH ST |
I-76 ON / OFF RAMPS |
PENROSE AVE |
| 34TH ST |
UNIVERSITY AVE |
GRAYS FERRY AVE |
| 38TH ST |
WALNUT ST |
UNIVERSITY AVE |
| 63RD ST |
CITY AVE |
WALNUT ST |
| ACADEMY RD |
FRANKFORD AVE |
GRANT AVE |
| ALLEGHENY AVE |
HUNTING PARK AVE |
I-95 ON / OFF RAMPS |
| BEN FRANKLIN PKWY |
ART MUSEUM CIRCLE |
16TH ST |
| BRIDGE ST |
HARBISON AVE |
I-95 ON RAMP |
| BROAD ST |
CHELTENHAM AVE |
I-95 ON / OFF RAMPS |
| BUSTLETON AVE |
FRANKFORD AVE |
COUNTY LINE RD |
| CHESTNUT ST |
COBBS CREEK PKWY |
20TH ST |
| CITY AVE |
CITY BOUNDARY |
I-76 ON RAMPS |
| COBBS CREEK PKWY |
WALNUT ST |
WOODLAND AVE |
| COTTMAN AVE |
I-95 OFF RAMP |
FILLMORE ST |
| ENTERPRISE AVE |
ISLAND AVE |
I-95 ON / OFF RAMPS |
| GERMANTOWN AVE |
N BROAD ST |
NORTHWESTERN AVE |
| GIRARD AVE |
LANCASTER AVE |
I-95 ON / OFF RAMPS |
| GRANT AVE |
WELSH RD |
ACADEMY RD |
| GRAYS FERRY AVE |
34TH ST |
WASHINGTON AVE |
| HARBISON AVE |
BRIDGE |
ROOSEVELT BLVD |
| HENRY AVE |
CATHEDRAL RD |
HUNTING PARK AVE |
| HUNTING PARK AVE |
HENRY AVE |
KELLY DR |
| ISLAND AVE |
WOODLAND AVE |
ENTERPRISE AVE |
| KELLY DR |
LINCOLN DR |
ART MUSEUM CIRCLE |
| LANCASTER AVE |
CITY AVE |
GIRARD AVE |
| LINCOLN DRIVE |
RIDGE AVE |
WISSAHICKON AVE |
| MARKET ST |
SCHUYLKILL AVE |
I-95 ON RAMP |
| OGONTZ AVE |
WASHINGTON LA |
CHELTENHAM AVE |
| POPLAR ST |
WEST COLLEGE AVE |
GIRARD AVE |
| PRINCETON AVE |
TORRESDALE AVE |
I-95 ON / OFF RAMPS |
| RIDGE AVE (NORTH) |
NORTHWESTERN AVE |
CATHEDRAL RD |
| RIDGE AVE (SOUTH) |
WALNUT LN |
CITY AVE ON RAMP |
| ROOSEVELT BLVD |
09TH ST |
CITY BOUNDARY |
| SCHUYLKILL AVE |
MARKET ST |
WALNUT ST |
| SEDGLEY AVE |
ALLEGHENY AVE |
ALLEGHENY AVE |
| STENTON AVE |
NORTHWESTERN AVE |
BROAD ST |
| TACONY ST / STATE RD |
BRIDGE ST |
TACONY-PALMYRA BRIDGE |
| TORRESDALE AVE |
COTTMAN AVE |
PRINCETON AVE |
| UNIVERSITY AVE |
38TH / 39TH ST |
34TH ST |
| WALNUT LN |
WAYNE AVE |
RIDGE AVE |
| WALNUT ST |
BROAD ST |
COBBS CREEK PKWY |
| WASHINGTON AVE |
GRAYS FERRY AVE |
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BLVD |
| WASHINGTON LA |
WAYNE AVE |
OGONTZ AVE |
| WAYNE AVE |
WALNUT LN |
WASHINGTON LA |
| WELSH RD |
CITY BOUNDARY |
GRANT AVE |
| WEST COLLEGE AVE |
POPLAR ST |
GIRARD AVE |
| WEST RIVER DR |
ART MUSEUM CIRCLE |
FALLS BRIDGE |
| WISSAHICKON AVE |
LINCOLN DR |
WALNUT LN |
| WOODLAND AVE |
COBBS CREEK PKWY |
UNIVERSITY AVE |