If you live in Anchorage, you know the sound: the deep rumble of a municipal grader passing your house at 3:00 AM providing much needed Anchorage snow removal. While it’s a relief to know the roads are being cleared, that relief often turns to frustration when you open your garage door to find a two-foot wall of heavy, compacted snow blocking your exit. Dealing with Anchorage snow berm removal is a rite of passage for local homeowners, but it doesn’t have to be a back-breaking ordeal. Understanding why these berms happen and how to strategically manage them is the key to maintaining your sanity—and your lower back—this winter.
In Short:
Snow berms are the dense walls of snow left across driveways by municipal graders during street plowing. Under Anchorage Municipal Code and state law, clearing these berms is the legal responsibility of the homeowner. While city plows use “snow gates” to reduce the impact, these gates often fail during heavy snowfalls, making professional removal or specialized equipment essential for maintaining driveway access.
Why Do City Graders Leave Berms in My Driveway?
The primary goal of the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Street Maintenance department is to clear the driving surface of the road as quickly as possible to ensure emergency vehicle access and public safety. To do this, graders move snow from the center of the road to the edges of the Right-of-Way (ROW). Unfortunately, your driveway is part of that edge.
The city does utilize “snow gates”—heavy metal plates on the end of the grader blade—intended to carry snow past your driveway opening. However, these gates have a limited capacity. During heavy Anchorage snowfalls (typically over 6 inches), the gate fills up instantly, and the excess “spills over,” creating the berm. Furthermore, if the snow is particularly wet and heavy, the gate can be damaged or forced open, resulting in even larger deposits. Per Alaska Administrative Code (17 AAC 10.020), the state and municipality are not obligated to clear these berms; that burden falls strictly on the land served by the driveway.
Expert Pro-Tip: The “Second Shovel” Prevention Strategy
The best way to handle a berm is to prevent it from being massive in the first place. Local Anchorage “pro-tips” suggest clearing a pocket of snow from the street to the left of your driveway (if you are facing the street). By clearing a 10-foot stretch of the curb-line “upstream” from your driveway, you create a space for the grader’s blade to dump its accumulated snow before it reaches your opening. This doesn’t eliminate the berm, but it can significantly reduce the height and density of the wall you have to move later.
Best Equipment for Clearing Heavy Icy Snow Berms
When a berm consists of “concrete-like” chunks of frozen street snow and ice, a standard homeowner-grade snowblower will often fail. These machines are designed for fresh powder, not the compacted debris left by a 20-ton grader.
For effective Anchorage snow removal, professionals may use any of the following or a combination of equipment:
- Skid Steers and Compact Loaders: These machines have the hydraulic “lift” and “breakout force” to scoop up and move frozen berms that a truck-mounted plow simply cannot push.
- Commercial-Grade Two-Stage Blowers: High-output blowers with serrated steel augers can chew through the icy chunks, though they require a slow and steady pace to avoid breaking shear pins.
- Tractor-Mounted Blowers: Used frequently on the Anchorage Hillside, these offer the horsepower needed to throw heavy berm snow far away from the driveway entrance, preventing the “canyon effect.”
The Freeze-Thaw Trap
If you don’t clear your berm immediately, it becomes a “glacier.” In February, Anchorage often sees midday sun that melts the surface of the berm, followed by a rapid refreeze at night. If you wait 24 hours to clear a municipal berm, it can turn into solid ice that requires a residential snow hauling service or heavy machinery to remove.
Staying Compliant with Municipal Code
It is important to remember that while the city put the snow in your driveway, you cannot put it back in the street. Anchorage Municipal Code 24.80.090 strictly prohibits homeowners or private contractors from shoveling, blowing, or plowing snow into the public right-of-way. This can result in a citation and a fine.
When clearing your berm, you must push or blow the snow onto your own property. If you find yourself running out of room, it may be time to consider walkway and sidewalk snow shoveling to keep your secondary paths clear while directing the heavy berm snow to a designated storage area.
Troubleshooting The “Locked-In” Berm
If you have a steep driveway or a long gravel approach, a frozen berm can effectively “lock” you onto your property. In these cases, manual de-icing is often required before the heavy equipment arrives. Using a [pet-safe ice melt option] (Link: https://highmarkservicesak.com/pet-safe-ice-melt) can help break the bond between the berm and your pavement, making it easier for a plow or blower to get a clean lift without damaging your driveway surface.
Professional Berm Management with Highmark Services
You shouldn’t have to dread the sound of the city grader. At Highmark Services, we understand the specific challenges of Anchorage’s residential sectors. We specialize in the “heavy lifting” that standard equipment can’t handle. Our crews are equipped with the loaders and commercial blowers necessary to clear even the toughest municipal berms, ensuring you can get out of your driveway and on with your day—no matter how hard the city plows.
Don’t spend your morning fighting a wall of ice. Contact Highmark Services today to learn about our priority berm-clearing services and seasonal contracts that keep your entrance clear all winter long.