The South Dakota Department of Transportation is reminding the public and commercial snow removal operators that it is illegal to place or dump excess snow on highway right of way, which includes driving surfaces, shoulders and ditches.
Public information officer Kristi Sandal says snow piles can restrict sight distance and pose an extreme hazard if a vehicle leaves the roadway. She says snow piles adjacent to the road may cause additional drifting and visibility problems posing more safety hazards to travelers, as well as additional expenses for manpower and equipment to remove the illegally dumped snow.
Sandal reminds property owners and access users it’s their responsibility to remove snow from the ends of driveways and around their own mailboxes.
Violation of the anti-dumping law is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to one year in jail, $2,000 in fines, or both. It is the policy of the SDDOT to remove snow that has been illegally piled within the highway right of way that may be a safety hazard. In addition, violators will be billed for the costs of removing illegally dumped snow.
