Yes, It Is Illegal To Shovel/Snowblow Into The Street In Minnesota
Wouldn't it be nice to just shovel the snow from your driveway into the street, making it the snowplow's problem? While it sounds nice and would get your grass cleared more quickly, it is definitely illegal (and dangerous) to do this in Minnesota.
The law is not a two-way street, however, as the plow is definitely well within its rights to dump snow FROM the road INTO your driveway. And yes, it does count as a Christmas gift when done in December.
It all comes down to Minnesota Statute 160.2715:
"(a) Except for the actions of the road authorities, their agents, employees, contractors, and utilities in carrying out their duties imposed by law or contract, and except as herein provided, it shall be unlawful to:
(1) obstruct any highway or deposit snow or ice thereon and (b) Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor."
For all the hardcore rebels out there who are still considering this, please know that the punishment is (potentially) a strong deterrent for this- you could end up with a $700 fine and/or 90 days in jail.
None for me, thanks. I will happily aim that snow blower spout (is that what it's called?) toward my lawn as opposed to into the street. Shoveling snow is already a pain in the butt, why make it worse with jail time?
This week we got nearly 14 inches of snow between Tuesday and Thursday. I personally am running out of room to put the stuff!