Snowfall has begun across the region, and understanding roadway maintenance responsibilities helps residents navigate winter conditions in the Village of Pleasant Prairie. Roadways fall under different jurisdictions, and each jurisdiction handles its own winter maintenance. The Village maintains locally owned streets and performs snow and ice control on those routes. Privately owned roads are the responsibility of their owners, who arrange their own plowing and maintenance.
A roadway within municipal limits does not automatically assign maintenance responsibilities to the Village. Kenosha County maintains many arterial routes in and around Pleasant Prairie. These include roadways like State Trunk Highways 31, 32, 50, and 165, County Trunk Highway C, and segments jointly maintained through agreements with neighboring municipalities, including portions of 39th Avenue, Spring Brook Road, and others. For example, the State Trunk Highway 50 expansion project required coordination among the State of Wisconsin, Kenosha County, and the City of Kenosha. Although portions of the corridor lie within Pleasant Prairie, the Village was not included in the project agreement and does not hold maintenance authority for the roadway.
Additionally, the Village ordinance assigns sidewalk maintenance to adjacent property owners. Owners, occupants, and those in charge of a property must clear snow and ice from sidewalks within 24 hours after accumulation ends. When ice forms, the ordinance requires the application of de-icing material to maintain safe passage. If a property owner does not meet the required standard, the Village will have a contractor clear the sidewalk, and the related costs will be billed to the property owner. This extends to Village sidewalks attached to properties in a neighboring municipality. Existing intergovernmental agreements allow Village crews or a contractor to clear those sidewalks when needed and bill the neighboring municipality, which then assigns the cost to the property owner. The ordinance also prohibits depositing snow onto streets or public property. When this occurs, Village crews remove the material and recover the costs under the ordinance process.
Understanding jurisdiction ensures proper snow clearance and enforcement. Residents should know which agency maintains their roadway, especially along shared or border corridors. A map showing roadway maintenance responsibilities is linked below to help residents identify which agency maintains each route.
Winter Road Maintenance Map