Behind the plow: How Lenexa clears the snow
Published on November 02, 2026
For most Lenexa residents, a winter storm starts with a glance out the window and a check of the forecast. For Josh Blann, it starts much earlier.
Blann is a Municipal Services street foreman, and most of the year he supervises a crew of street maintenance workers. He leads daily field operations that keep Lenexa’s roads and other infrastructure in good repair, from routine maintenance to fixing problems as they arise. But when winter weather is on the way, Blann takes on another role: Lenexa’s “snow boss.”
As snow boss, Blann is the strategic and tactical leader of the City’s winter storm response. He coordinates dozens of employees across departments and stays in close contact with emergency services, helping determine how crews and equipment will be deployed as conditions change.
“The challenging part is just staying with what the weather is going to do and staying out in front of it,” Blann said.
That preparation begins months before the first snowflake falls. When Blann joined the City 26 years ago — in July — he remembers being surprised that his new coworkers were already talking about snow.
Now, he understands why.
Lenexa is responsible for maintaining about 820 lane miles of roadway, a number that grows as the city develops. It’s a lot of ground to cover. Crews plan far in advance, servicing snowplows, salt spreaders and other heavy equipment, and stockpiling road salt and anti-icing materials. The City also holds a hands-on driver training event and competition each year called the Snow Roadeo.
Before a storm, Blann monitors multiple weather forecasts, assesses what crews might encounter, and helps determine how much equipment and staff will be needed. When conditions call for it, crews pre-treat road intersections, and three Lenexa bridges have systems that can spray magnesium chloride to help prevent icing.
Then comes the storm.
Lenexa’s snow response operates around the clock, with crews working 12-hour shifts from midnight to noon and noon to midnight. About 30 people work each shift, fanning out across the City’s many snow zones. Crews begin by clearing high-traffic arterial streets and then move to lower-volume collector and residential streets.
The goal is to have every street treated and/or plowed within 48 hours after a storm ends. But no two winter weather events are alike.
“Each storm is different because you don’t know if you’re going to be dealing with ice, snow or sleet,” Blann said.
The uncertainty is part of what makes the job challenging — and experience matters. Lenexa has a veteran snow crew returning this year, giving Blann confidence as another winter approaches. At the same time, he’ll be mentoring a junior snow boss who is stepping into more responsibility.
For Blann, passing along that experience is part of preparing for whatever the next storm brings. And when it does, the focus remains the same: keeping City crews and residents safe, particularly the police officers and firefighters who need to get where they’re going.
“The residents are looking at us to keep them safe,” Blann said.
That responsibility means long hours for the people behind the plows. During major storms, crews spend hours on the road and away from their families, working in conditions that can be stressful and unpredictable.
Blann said there’s a simple way residents can recognize that effort.
“Let the drivers know, hey, we appreciate it.”
Top snow safety tips from a snow boss
1. Stay off the roads when you can
During a severe storm, stay home unless travel is necessary. Fewer vehicles on the road give snowplows more room to work and help crews clear streets more efficiently.
2. Give snowplows plenty of room
Stay at least 30 feet — about four car lengths — behind a working plow. Don’t pass or drive alongside one. Plows have large blind spots, and blowing snow can reduce visibility.
3. Move your vehicle off the street
Cars parked along the road can prevent plows from clearing the full width of the street and may become surrounded by snow.
4. Be patient — plowing takes time.
A plow passing your house doesn’t mean the work is finished. During a storm, crews may make multiple passes. After the storm, crews return for final curb-to-curb clearing in residential areas, including cul-de-sacs.
5. Keep cleared snow out of the street
When clearing a driveway or parking lot, don’t push snow into the roadway. It can create hazards for drivers and make the City’s plowing job more difficult.
6. Build snow forts in a safe spot.
Keep forts, snowmen and other snow creations away from the street so they’re visible to snowplow drivers and out of the path of moving vehicles.
7. Mark objects near the edge of your property.
Snow can hide landscaping, sprinkler heads, curbs and other objects. Before a major storm, use reflective markers or stakes to help plow drivers see what’s normally visible.