Street Maintenance

The Public Works Street Division is responsible for maintaining 355 lane miles of city streets, 97 miles of storm drain piping, 2,565 catch basins, 486 manholes, seven stormwater treatment units, 93 outfalls to the Chena River and Noyes Slough, 5,000 street and traffic signs, 2,824 street lights, and 27 miles of sidewalks. The division provides services including snow removal, street sweeping, sanding, drain pumping and thawing, and operates a sign shop to repair and replace street and traffic signs.

Storm Drain Maintenance 

During the summer, crews sweep streets and clean out storm drains, gutters, and collection basins. They jet clean buried drainage pipes and remove vegetation from ditches to improve water flow during rainstorms and spring runoff. Residents are encouraged to sweep sanding chips from sidewalks to the curb for efficient collection. The department is working on acquiring additional sidewalk sweepers to improve service.

Potholes and Paving 

In warmer months, a pothole patching crew addresses potholes on city streets. Residents can report potholes by emailing pictures and addresses to PWmail@fairbanks.us. Pothole lists guide the crews’ work, and a night patch crew operates in June to repair daytime high-traffic streets. Larger paving projects are handled by a dedicated paving crew.

Street and Traffic Signs 

The sign shop operates year-round to repair or replace damaged or missing signs. Residents can report issues with signs by emailing pictures and locations to PWmail@fairbanks.us.

Snow Removal Operations 

Our mission is to ensure safe driving and walking conditions through efficient snow removal operations. Snow removal consists of two stages: immediate plowing during storms and subsequent widening of roads by removing snow berms. Factors like storm timing, temperatures, and equipment availability can affect the speed of operations.

Equipment Summary

• 11 Dump Trucks
• 2 Tractors (1 in route)
• 3 Side Dumps
• 3.5 Sanding Trucks
• 8 Graders
• 1 Backhoe
• 4 Loaders
• 4 Articulated Sidewalk Tractors
• 3 Snow Blower Attachments
• 7 Self-contained Blowers
• 4 Boiler Trucks
• 4 Street Sweepers
• 1 Turf Rake and Tractor
• 2 Jet Vac Trucks

Snow Plowing Priorities 

Streets are plowed based on a priority system during heavy snowfall. The city is divided into seven geographic neighborhoods, and the starting area rotates annually. Depending on available funding and staffing, it takes about 4-6 weeks to complete plowing in all residential areas.

Driveway Snow Berms 

Public Works strives to minimize snow berms in driveways using snow gates on equipment. However, some snow berms may remain, and residents should wait until plowing is complete before clearing driveways.

Snow Pushing Regulations 

According to Fairbanks Municipal Code 70-321, moving snow or ice from private property onto sidewalks or streets is prohibited, except for snow from sidewalks that can be moved into the adjacent street.

Sanding Priorities 

Sanding occurs when conditions are unsafe or expected to become so. Sand trucks prioritize streets but also service intersections and roundabouts. Sanding is suspended during ongoing heavy snowfall or freezing rain. Residents are advised to exercise caution during these conditions.

Springtime Operations 

In the spring, boiler trucks thaw frozen storm drains, and water pumps and jet vac trucks eliminate pooling water on streets.

Streetlights and Other Concerns 

Residents can report malfunctioning streetlights or other street concerns by emailing PWMail@fairbanks.us with relevant details.

Sidewalks 

Sidewalk maintenance, including snow removal and sweeping, is the responsibility of property owners. Sidewalk replacements occur as funds allow, prioritizing safety and accessibility concerns. Residents can submit online work requests for sidewalk issues.