Farmington has four large dumpster trucks that work in tandem plowing and salting streets.
By: Gena Johnson | Farmington Press | Published February 24, 2026
FARMINGTON/FARMINGTON HILLS — With more snowfall than usual, officials from Farmington and Farmington Hills discussed the work done to keep roads clear and people safe.
Joshua Leach, the superintendent for the Farmington Department of Public Works, and Derrick Schueller, the superintendent for the Farmington Hills Division of Public Works, said this year has already been busier than most.
“What makes it unique is there have been a lot of small (snow) events. It has been the consistent little ones, just after Thanksgiving, that have kept us busy,” Schueller said.
Both Farmington and Farmington Hills said a “snow event” is when their crews are out actively plowing or salting. This can be during regular hours of operation, or overtime hours.
This winter, Farmington has had 26 snow events and is anticipating three more before the season ends. Farmington Hills has about 70 snow events in a typical year but has already had 80.
In both communities, the main roads, hilly roads, curves, bus routes and school routes are given priority and plowed and salted first, and then the local and residential streets are plowed.
“The major streets are the focus because of safety,” Schueller said. “Those are the streets that have the most traffic … and the highest speeds.”
Among the major streets in Farmington to be plowed and salted in every snow event are Grand River Avenue, Shiawassee Street, Farmington Road, Power Road, Gill Road, Freedom Road, Drake Road.
In Farmington Hills, among the main roads that are prioritized are 14 Mile, 13 Mile, Halsted, Drake and Farmington. However, some roads in Farmington Hills are owned by Oakland County and snow removal is the responsibility of the Road Commission of Oakland County. Those roads include 12 Mile, Orchard Lake, Haggerty and Middlebelt.
While both communities have established guidelines for handling snow events, each event is unique and must be handled accordingly.
“Each weather event is different. It depends on the drivability of the roadways: is it preventing motorists and emergency personnel from getting around?” Leach said.
Typically, the neighborhoods in Farmington and Farmington Hills are only plowed after a snowfall of 4 inches or more, but that can vary.
“In December, the ground and temperatures were a little warmer than usual. It snowed less than 4 inches, which is typically the threshold we use to plow the local streets, which includes the subdivisions. Temperatures were expected to fall overnight, and then there would have been 3-4 inches of ice. So, we decided to plow and salt the local streets,” Leach explained.
In Farmington Hills, there are about 60 miles of main roads and 250 miles of local streets, which include the subdivisions.
“Going in the subs is a much bigger endeavor, and takes more time,” Schueller said.
He encourages residents to remove their vehicle from the street before the plows come through and to stay at least 200 feet away from a moving snowplow and at least 20 feet away from a plow stopped at an intersection, and to stay out of their blind spots.
“If you can’t see the snowplows’ side mirrors, they can’t see you,” Schueller said.
He also encouraged residents to be patient since the crews are getting to the local streets as fast as they can.
Farmington has about 15 vehicles in its snow removal fleet, which includes four large dump trucks that plow, salt, and have liquid capability. The fleet also includes an array pickup trucks, loaders, backhoes, and tractors serving the community of about 12,000 residents.
Farmington Hills, a community of nearly 85,000 residents, has 17 large dump trucks that plow and salt and 16 vehicles that just plow. The city has 25 employees that operate the vehicles. There are more vehicles than drivers so some can be serviced while others are available to use.
Each community also has a salt dome to store rock salt. To date, Farmington has used 560 tons of salt, and Farmington Hills has used 3,300 tons. Each city noted the salt usage is much higher this year than in recent years.
Farmington Hills uses a brine mixture of 80% saltwater and 20% beet juice to salt the roads. Schueller said this has cut their salt usage nearly in half, and it is easier on the environment.