SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL POLICY:
SECTION 1 - PURPOSE
The purpose of this is to establish this County's policy and level
of service in respect to clearance of snow or ice and maintenance
of its road system during the winter months, specifically defined
as November through April.
SECTION 2 - LEVEL OF SERVICE
Clearance of snow or ice and maintenance of the road system during
the winter months is primarily for the benefit of the local residents
of this county. Each storm has individual characteristics and
must be dealt with accordingly (The portion of the roadway improved
for travel will have upon it snow and ice in compacted condition.)
These conditions may be continuous, or they may be more concentrated
on hills, in valleys, curves, and/or intersections. The County's
existing snow removal equipment will be utilized for this purpose.
Except for "emergencies" as determined by the County
Highway Superintendent's professional judgment, or his/her designee
acting in his/her absence, on a case by case basis, all clearance
of snow or ice, sanding, salting and other maintenance respecting
winter conditions shall be accomplished within the amount of money
budgeted for this service and as practicable (The entire width
of that portion of the road improved for travel may not be cleared
of snow, ice, compacted snow and ice, or frost.) Snow cleared
from that part of the roadway improved for travel shall be placed
on or in the adjacent shoulder, ditch, or right of way. Snow can
be expected to accumulate adjacent to the traveled portion to
the extent that a motorist's sight distance to both the left and
right may be greatly reduced or impaired. The snow removed from
intersections will be piled in its corners in piles of unequal
height. The lines of sight, sight distance, or visibility of motorists
approaching these intersections may be greatly reduced or impaired.
The County shall not be responsible for snow pushed or otherwise
placed on the roadway or shoulders by others.
Motorists shall drive their vehicles during these conditions with
additional caution and watchfulness, especially in respect to
the surface of the roadway, and reduced or impaired visibility
and are advised to reduce their speed to at least 25 miles per
hour below that legally permitted or advised under normal conditions.
In respect to roadways that have only one lane open, further extreme
watchfulness and the motorist should exercise caution, and their
speed should not exceed 10 miles per hour. During these conditions,
no additional warning or regulatory signs will be placed warning
of impaired sight distances, visibility at intersections, road
blockages, one-lane conditions, or that the road surface is slick
or slippery, or what the advised speed should be.
SECTION 3 - SEQUENCE OF SERVICE
In the implementation of snow and ice removal and other maintenance
of the County's road system during the winter months, the County
Superintendent shall select the actual sequence of roads to be
cleared as provided for in this section or the ordinance, and
shall determine when drifting, wind velocity, and additional snow
or snowstorms require that the snow removal equipment be removed
from the roadway, or that additional clearance of paved roads
be accomplished prior to the clearance of gravel and dirt roads.
The County Superintendents professional judgment, or his/her designee's,
shall prevail, unless the County Board of Commissioners overrides
it.
PAVED ROUTES
1. The initial effort will be to get all routes open to two-lane
traffic as soon as possible and/or practicable. During initial
snow removal operations, paved roads may only have one lane plowed
for a period of time.
2. After two-lane travel is possible, subsequent snow removal
will be carried on during normal working hours.
3. The truck mounted snowplows and spreaders will not normally
be in operation between the hours of 7:00pm - 4:00am. The trucks
may be called off the road if snow and blowing reduces visibility
to hazardous working conditions, in the professional judgement
of the Superintendent or his delegated representative.
4. When required, due to drifting snow, motorgraders may be used
to keep the paved roads open and the opening of gravel may be
delayed.
5. It is not the policy of the County to provide a "dry"
pavement condition.
6. After roads have been plowed, as provided in this section,
intersections, hills, and curves may, but not necessarily, have
placed on them, salt, sand, or other abrasives. These intersections,
hills, and curves may not be resanded, resalted, or have other
abrasives replaced on them between snowstorms.
There is no time limit after a snowstorm in which any of the above
sequence of clearance, on paved or unpaved roads, shall take place.
UNPAVED ROADS
1. The initial effort will be to get a snow route opened to one-lane
traffic as soon as possible and/or practicable after a storm has
passed.
2. After one-lane travel is possible subsequent snow removal will
be carried on during normal working hours.
3. Motorgraders and/or truck plows will not normally be in operation
between the hours of 7:00pm - 4:00am. The motorgraders and/or
truck plows may be called off the road if snow and blowing reduces
visibility creating hazardous working conditions, in the professional
judgment of the Superintendent or his/her delegated representative.
4. Snow might not be removed from roads having no residence.
PRIVATE DRIVES
The County will not clear snow from private drives. Normal snow
removal operations may result in snow being deposited in private
drives. Snow from private drives shall not be placed on the roadway
or shoulders.
Back to Department of Roads
Assessor
