Snow Fences

About the measures

Snow fences trap snow by causing it to pile up before it reaches a road, which increases safety. They are measured by the total number of miles of snow fences comprised of structural (e.g., composite rails snow fences), living (e.g., trees and shrubs), or vegetative (e.g., corn rows or hale bales) fences on Minnesota roadways. Snow fences play a key role in winter maintenance productivity and roadway safety by helping to limit blowing snow across Minnesota roads. For maintenance, this is helpful where high winds make chloride use ineffective. For roadway safety, the snow fences improve driver visibility, reduce icy roads, and serve as visual clues.

Where we want to go

Snow fences provide a variety of environmental, safety, and economic benefits by keeping roads clear of snow. To improve safety and mobility for people traveling on roadways, MnDOT’s snow fence program partners with landowners to install snow fences in open areas along state highways.