Policies / Procedures / Restrictions

Driveway Pipes & Culverts 

Adjacent property owners are responsible to purchase and maintain the driveway pipe or culvert where their driveway intersects at the County Route, regardless of whether the pipe or culvert is on private property or County R-O-W. For residential properties, the County installs the property-owner furnished pipes and required end-sections at no additional cost to the residential owner. Commercial driveway pipes must be installed by a qualified contractor. Please note that the County does not pay for installation or restoration of asphalt, concrete, or brick driveway entrances, whether residential or commercial. County Highway Permits are required for all driveway pipe installations.

Winter Snow & Ice Advisory

For drivers winter is one of the most dangerous times of the year. A time when overnight weather conditions can change dramatically, when we go out in the morning and find the windows on our vehicles iced over. Our next thought should be what else will be iced over today. Especially the roadways we travel to our daily destinations. It's a time of year when we should be prepared to expect the unexpected. So when the weather forecast is for winter or winter like conditions, remember the following:

  • Expect the unexpected.
  • Fully clean off your vehicle before leaving home.
  • Allow sufficient travel time.
  • Allow extra distance between vehicles.
  • Be aware of snowplows on the road.
  • Give snowplows adequate room as you meet them.
  • Stay a sufficient distance behind a snowplow so the operator can see you.
  • Be aware we deal with what Mother Nature provides and we attempt to provide clear roads as early as feasible.
  • Operating a snowplow is serious business and cooperation and consideration by all is of utmost importance.
  • Please drive safely, enjoy the winter, and respect the professionals that provide the safe roads for your use.

Cleaning of Snow & Ice Control Salt, Cinders & Sand

Chemung County asks that residents and businesses do not sweep salt, sand, or cinders into storm drainage catch basins or drywells. Eventually, the materials will build up, possibly plugging lines and drywells. It is costly to clean and replace drainage facilities. Additionally, plugged drainage facilities can cause localized flooding. Chemung County uses a road sweeper each spring to remove the materials from the roadsides. Alternatively, you can sweep and dispose of the materials in your trash.

Mail Box Policy

Chemung County is not responsible for damages occurring during highway work operations to vehicles or property parked or located in the R-O-W. Municipalities are specifically protected by section 1103-b of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. Also, under New York State Highway Law Section 319, Article 11, municipalities are not responsible for damage to mail boxes. These laws are applicable to year-round highway maintenance operations.

As a courtesy to property owners, Chemung County will replace mailboxes damaged by snow plowing operations with a standard steel U.S. Mailbox. The County will provide and install a temporary mailbox until weather allows the County to complete a permanent installation. Custom or otherwise atypical mailboxes will only be replaced with a standard mailbox.

Dead Deer Removal Policy

Chemung County removes dead deer from County R-O-W at no cost to the property owner. Please note that we only provide this service during regular working hours, as we contract this work to a 3rd party provider. Other dead animals, such as opossums, skunks, squirrels, etc., are not removed.

Engineering Design Policy

The intent of the engineering design policy (PDF) is to provide guidance to professional engineering staff as they provide engineering services for Public Works projects, including design, reports, or advice given to other County departments or Municipal agencies. Nothing in the policy, nor any engineering reviews undertaken by the County DPW, shall be construed to impose a duty or liability on the County for acts of other professionals, nor be construed to make the County a supervisor of a project just because a design is rejected or modified, nor alter the terms of any agreement or bid specification, nor impose upon the County of Chemung liability for acts of others.