Why the street plow buries the end of your driveway, and what to do about it

Updated 2026-11-03. Prices are typical published ranges, not quotes. DrivewayBlankets.com doesn't plow; how it works.

You finish the driveway, and an hour later the city plow goes by and leaves a waist-high wall of heavy, packed snow right at the end of it. That ridge is called a windrow (or a berm), and almost everyone in snow country deals with it.

Why it happens

A street plow's blade is angled to push snow to the side of the road, toward the curb. When the blade passes your driveway, there's no curb to stop it, so the snow spills into the opening. It's dense, chunky snow mixed with slush and salt from the road, which is why it's much harder to move than what fell on your driveway.

Most cities don't clear driveway ends for residents. Most cities plow main roads first and residential streets later, and some only make one pass down the middle of side streets. Your city page links the official plowing plan where we found one.

The shoveling trick that helps

Clear a pocket of space on the upstream side of your driveway, the side the plow comes from as it drives along your side of the street. The snow on the blade spills into that pocket before it reaches the driveway, so less of it ends up across the end. It won't stop the windrow, but it can make it much smaller.

Don't push it back into the street

Pushing snow from your driveway into the street is illegal in many cities, and it creates a hazard for drivers. Among the 15 metros we cover, Minneapolis, Boston, Milwaukee, Syracuse, Madison, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Anchorage and Denver all tell residents not to put snow in the street, and several set fines. Pile it on your own lawn or terrace instead. See sidewalk and snow-placement rules by city.

Timing: clear it later, or twice

• Wait if you can. If the street hasn't been plowed yet, clearing the end of the driveway now means doing it again after the plow passes.
• Don't let it freeze. The windrow hardens fast, especially overnight. Clearing it the same day is easier than chipping it the next morning.
• Watch the plow pattern. On many streets, plows come back to push the snow farther toward the curb, which can bring a second windrow.

Does a plow service clear the windrow?

It depends. Some services include a return trip to clear the driveway apron after the city plow comes through. Others charge for it as an extra visit, and some don't do it at all. It's one of the most important questions to ask, because the windrow is often the hardest snow you'll deal with all storm. See questions to ask before hiring.

Tools that help

• A two-stage snow blower handles windrows much better than a single-stage model, which can choke on dense chunks. See snow blower vs. hiring a plow.
• A sturdy steel-edged shovel or ice chopper for chunks that have hardened.
• A pusher shovel works for the loose layer but not the packed ridge.

Safety

Windrow snow is heavy. Lift less, push more, and take breaks. If you can't safely handle it, that's a good reason to look for a service that includes apron cleanup. Stay well clear of a plow truck when it's working, since the driver may not see you.

Mailboxes

Snow thrown off a plow blade can knock over mailboxes. Clear snow around the mailbox so the blade has somewhere to go, and check whether your city or the postal service sets rules on mailbox placement and replacement.

Want the end of the driveway handled too? See an instant price, and ask for apron cleanup in your request.

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