When the Des Plaines River comes up
Lyons sits on the Des Plaines River, and the river floods. The National Weather Service’s gauge at Lyons puts flood stage at 18 feet. At 22 feet, water reaches the top of the east-bank levee in the village, and by 24 feet numerous homes near the river are threatened. Cars parked in low garages and driveways don’t move out of the way on their own.
A car that has sat in floodwater is often not worth fixing. We buy flooded cars as they are, and it doesn’t matter whether the claim is settled. If the insurance company already paid, the title may now be a salvage title or in the insurer’s name, so check before you call. Our guide to what to do with a totaled car in Illinois explains how that works.
Lyons parking rules for a car that can’t move
Floods aside, most junk cars in Lyons are just old or broken. The village has firm limits on where they can wait:
- On the street: no more than 72 hours for an inoperable or junked car, with a 72-hour written notice before the village tows it. Any car parked on a street also needs current state registration.
- On private property: seven days, then a seven-day notice, after which police can remove it and bill the owner or occupant.
- On the lawn: front and side yards are off limits except on a hard-surfaced driveway.
- In the alley: leave at least 10 feet clear and don’t block anyone’s driveway.
Winter tightens things. On through streets and transit streets, overnight parking is banned from 1 to 7 a.m. between mid-November and April 1, and parking stops entirely once snow passes 2 inches.
Paperwork, payment and neighboring towns
Have the title ready if you can. If it’s lost, tell us what papers you have, including registration, an insurance card and your ID. Which documents a scrap sale can rely on is set by Illinois law, and we confirm that on the phone before we come. Then we tow it for free, pay you at pickup, and can often come the same day.
Pickups along Ogden Avenue, Harlem Avenue, First Avenue and Joliet Road all work, as do the side streets between them. We also serve Brookfield, McCook and Riverside, which share borders with Lyons. Browse our town directory for the rest.
Selling a car in Lyons: common questions
Do you buy cars that were flooded by the Des Plaines River in Lyons?
Yes. We buy water-damaged cars in any condition, whether or not you filed an insurance claim. If an insurer already paid out, tell us who holds the title now, because a total-loss car may carry a salvage title or belong to the insurance company.
My dead car is at the curb in Lyons. How long do I have?
Not long. Section 9-10-4 makes it unlawful for an inoperable or junked car to sit on a street or other public property for more than 72 hours, and § 9-6-2 already bans parking without current state registration. Move it onto a hard-surfaced driveway or book a pickup.