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.
Recent trends
In 2023, there were 132 miles of long-term snow fences (i.e., combination of structural and living snow fencing) and 45 miles of temporary snow fences (i.e., standing corn rows, stacked hay bales, or four-foot-tall seasonal snow fencing) across Minnesota. Miles of long-term snow fences have increased each year since 2018 while temporary snow fence totals have fluctuated year-to-year.
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.