Are You Breaking the Law in Idaho if You Do This in the Winter?

I may be lucky during the winter months because my driveway is all gravel so I never have to shovel the snow. That doesn't mean I don't need to, just that I can't. Most other houses in the area have concrete sidewalks and driveways. When the snow falls, you're the lucky ones who get to go out in the cold to shovel snow.

Idaho Law Regulates Residential Snow Removal

Did you know that there is actually a law in Idaho that addresses how you dispose of your snow? Or more precisely - where you dispose of your snow. Here's something to remember next time we get a big snowfall in Idaho.

Under Idaho statutes section 19-3907 it states:

OBSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS. Any person who obstructs, injures or damages any public road, street or highway either by placing obstruction therein...or in any other manner injures or obstructs any public road, street or highway, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

You can't place anything on the roads that obstructs them or makes them unsafe for use. Snow is one of those things that makes a road unsafe for use. Twin Falls has more than 630 miles of roads that are plowed or sanded when a storm comes in. That does not include narrow residential streets.

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The city currently uses eight snowplows to get the removal done. The city of Pocatello has additional specific laws for residents about their snow removal habits. The city of Twin Falls has, in the past, asked residents to shovel snow onto their grass rather than the roads.

Why Placing Snow In Roads Is Dangerous

It is especially important to not place shoveled snow in the street gutters or over drains as that could cause blockage and isolated street flooding. I haven't heard of any of my neighbors, who might shovel into the street, getting in trouble for it. But, it makes more sense to just put it on the lawn and not risk getting a misdemeanor for snow placement.

RELATED STORY: If You Had A Flamethrower You Wouldn't Need To Shovel Snow