Village Snow & Ice Control Policy
VILLAGE OF MARSHALL SNOW AND ICE CONTROL POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to prescribe guidelines to safely and efficiently maintain the public streets in the Village of Marshall for winter driving conditions.
Introduction
The responsibility for providing snow and ice control on Village streets, recreational paths and public facilities rests primarily with the Public Works Department.
Snow and ice control is basically emergency preventative work in that the operations may begin at any time of the day or night. Since snow and ice removal may be emergency related, the work must be accomplished as expeditiously as possible and consequently all planning and equipment preparation should be completed prior to the arrival of the snow season. Operationalizing a snow and ice removal program can be, and frequently is, made extremely difficult by the combination of factors that arise during the snow and ice season. Rate and accumulation of snowfall, moisture content, temperature, time of day or night, wind velocity, and duration are all factors that interact to create a unique aspect for each storm with the result that no two storms are ever identical.
The Public Works Department endeavors to maintain adequate traction for vehicles properly equipped for winter driving conditions. This does not mean bare, dry pavement should be expected after each snowfall. Furthermore, this does not mean the streets will be free of ice and snow. The presence of snow and ice on Village streets is considered a normal winter driving condition and motorists should be driving accordingly. However, the severe rutting of snow or other abnormal conditions may be considered a problem area and must be corrected within a reasonable period of time once the Public Works Department becomes aware of the problem.
Personnel
During the snow and ice control operations, almost all other operations of the Public Works Department are of secondary importance once the program is initiated. Village personnel shall work a maximum of sixteen (16) consecutive hours followed by a minimum of six (6) hours rest-period during snow and ice control operations.
Alerting Snow and Ice Control Personnel
Snow and ice control operations may begin at any time during a 24-hour period, 7 days a week. Therefore, the Public Works Department is prepared to shift from the normal work week any time it becomes necessary to institute snow and ice control operations. In the event it becomes necessary to begin snow and ice control operations outside of the normal working day, a current telephone list is used to notify affected personnel.
A snow and ice control program may be initiated by:
Public Works Director
Police Department personnel on duty
Village President
If the decision to fight a storm is made after the normal working day has ended, all Public Works personnel are notified, directed and required to report for snow removal operations.
General Snow and Ice Control Procedures
The Public Works Director will designate snow and ice removal routes based on the availability of manpower and equipment. Patrol trucks will be assigned to each route. Depending in snowfall types and amounts, the more maneuverable pickup type trucks, end loaders, and tractors will be assigned to cul-de-sacs and other areas requiring added maneuverability.
Street Priorities
The street within each route will be classified and assigned a priority ranking based on the following criteria:
Priority One Streets
Priority One Streets are those streets designed as arterial, collector, or sub-collector. These streets have been determined to be major traffic streets either by design or actual motorist use. Priority One Streets shall have priority over Priority Two and Priority Three Streets. Patrol trucks will commence, continue, and if necessary, repeat snow and ice control operations until they have been substantially cleared from curb to curb. Exceptions to the substantial clearing operations will be made in the event of localized interference along the curb lanes from such things as parked cars, fallen trees, unusual drifting, etc. In such an event, snow and ice control operations will be continued on the Priority One Streets until a minimum of two driving lanes can be maintained at the localized problem area.
Priority Two Streets
Priority Two Streets are those streets not designed as Priority One Streets or Priority Three Streets, as listed below. Priority Two Streets include the typical subdivision streets, cul-de-sacs, and bikeways and sidewalks maintained by the Village.
Snow and ice control operations will commence following the completion of the Priority One Streets. However, snow and ice control operations by pickup type trucks, end loaders, skid steers, and tractors on cul-de-sacs, bikeways, and sidewalks will commence at the start of Priority One operations due to the large number of and length of time necessary to clear cul-de-sacs, bikeways, and sidewalks. This is intended to result in the cul-de-sacs, bikeways, and sidewalks operations being completed at about the same time as the end of patrol truck operations on Priority Two Streets.
Snow and ice control operations on cul-de-sacs, bikeways, and sidewalks may be preempted in the event of equipment failures, lack of personnel, and/or the necessity to assemble additional manpower and/or equipment to control an unusual condition on a
Snow and ice control operations on Priority Two Streets will endeavor to provide, at a minimum, safe two-direction travel. If weather and operational conditions permit, snow and ice control operations will endeavor to provide curb to curb service. The operations on Priority Two Streets are intended to provide access to the Priority One Streets from residences fronting on Priority Two Streets. Travel during adverse weather conditions is not advised until such access can be gained.
Priority Three Streets
Priority Three Streets are intended to be the least ranking in snow and ice control operations. This priority includes parking lots and other low volume/low speed streets.
Snow and ice control operations on these streets will wait until the completion of, or in conjunction with, clean-up operations on the Priority One and Priority Two Streets.
The Public Works Department may establish additional “sub-priorities” within each priority classification if needed in order to respond to a particular condition or event (e.g. school starting or dismissal, community event, holiday service, etc.).
General Operations Guidelines
The following general guidelines are hereby established for snow and ice control in the Village of Marshall:
Snow and ice control operations will include such work activities as plowing, trucking, and the spreading of salts and/or abrasives.
Snowplowing operations generally do not commence unless snowfall accumulations measure more than two inches or snow is falling and/or weather forecasts call for a minimum 2-inch accumulation, or the snowfall has ended. Full scale salting and snowplowing operations will be conducted concurrently.
When funds have been budgeted, private equipment may be called to assist in snowplowing operations.
Snowplow operators are instructed to plow the street as close as possible to the curb line with a minimum number of passes. Where sidewalks are close to the curb, drivers are instructed to avoid pushing snow onto the sidewalks when feasible. In these locations, snow will be stored in the street near the curb where the street width permits.
When the street prohibits both vehicle parking and vehicle travel, the Public Works Department and/or the Police Department may order the temporary posting of "No Parking" signs until the conditions are corrected
Village-wide snow emergency parking restrictions will be implemented as provided by Ordinance, when snow conditions warrant. The Public Works Department and/or Police Department will issue snow emergency warnings through the use of public radio announcements when conditions have, or are expected to, result in the snow emergency conditions defined by Ordinance.
These practices are of a general nature only and may vary to a great degree depending on such storm factors as wind, temperature, moisture content, etc. And other conditions actually encountered.
Equipment
The snow removal fleet consists of a variety of truck plows, front-end loaders, and material spreaders. Additional equipment may be obtained from private firms to support the snow removal effort if budgeted for. The size of the fleet is adequate to handle the majority of snow and ice storms reasonably expected during an average snow season.
It is the intent of this policy to have the snow and ice control equipment readied for operations by no later than November 1st of each year and available through the following April 15th. Storms, which occur outside this period, may require additional time to operationalize equipment.
Of the total Village equipment available for snow removal, it is the intent of the Public Works Department to utilize as much of this equipment on the street as possible. However, it is impractical to assume that all the equipment will be operating and provisions must be made for equipment down time.
Exclusive of minor vehicle repair, the goal is to keep operational at least ninety percent of all Public Works Department equipment required for snow and ice control.
Emergency Situations
Provisions have been made for situations involving emergency responder personnel. In the event the Public Works Department receives notification of an emergency situation requiring Public Works equipment to assist, the necessary equipment will be dispatched immediately to assist until emergency responder personnel no longer require such assistance.
In addition to the placement of salt on streets by Village Crews, barrels with sand shall be located at strategic locations throughout the Village for use by the public at hazardous locations on public streets, bikeways, and sidewalks.
The Public Works Department is authorized and directed to implement the distribution of sand to village residents for use on public sidewalks and streets in the event of a declared emergency condition.
Standard Operating Procedures
These Standard Operating Procedures contain statements of policy and directive basic to the organization and operation for the chemical program, snow, and ice control program and snowplowing program.
Organization
The Director of Public Works, Police Department personnel on duty, and the Village President are the only individuals authorized to initiate snow and ice control operations.
Field operations shall be directed by the Director of Public Works who may delegate supervisory authority over ice and snow control operations.
Equipment operators shall be responsible for knowing snow and ice control maps and/or route descriptions. Equipment operators are expected to keep any written forms of this information available in the vehicle and to request additional copies of this information if it has been lost or damaged.
Rest Breaks shall be taken in accordance with Village policy when approved by the Public Works Director.
Chemical and Abrasive Material Spreading
Generally, three combinations of material may be used for snow and ice control operations. These are straight salt, salt mixed with sand or other abrasives, or straight abrasives. Other deicing chemicals may be employed depending upon temperature, cost, availability, etc. Rates of material spreading and combination of the various materials will depend on the prevailing weather conditions and the Director of Public Works shall determine the materials to be used. Equipment operators shall determine the application rate based on the conditions encountered and forecasted.
Snow Plowing Operations
The guidelines to be used to begin a snowplowing operation is generally when accumulations have reached two inches or more on the majority of the Priority One Streets and snow is falling and/or forecasts predict significant additional snowfall.
Every street in every district has been assigned a plowing priority. In any given area Priority One Streets will be plowed before Priority Two Streets are started (with the exception of cul-de-sacs, as previously outlined.)
Equipment operators are expected to be knowledgeable of areas where sidewalks are close to the curb and where medians exist and must make reasonable efforts to avoid plowing snow onto sidewalks.
Equipment operators are expected to inspect equipment prior to leaving the Public Works Facility to be sure equipment is in proper working condition. Brakes, lights, horns, turn signals, plow and/or material hydraulics, steering, cutting blade, edges, fluid levels, and tires must be checked. Operators must check fuel tanks before taking the vehicle into the field. Any malfunction of equipment must be reported to the operator's immediate supervisor.
Operators are required to complete timesheets at the end of each shift.
Individuals operating vehicles and equipment that are involved in an accident are required to report the accident to their supervisor at once. In addition, all operators are required to contact the Police Department. Operators must also complete and submit an accident report to their immediate supervisor no later than at the end of their shift.
Equipment operators are required to obey all traffic regulations during snow removal operations. For clarification, it is noted that the street maintenance vehicles may operate upon the left side of the street when equipped with flashing amber lights in accordance with Wisconsin Statute 347.23 (4) and if done so safely.
As soon as possible, at the inception of freezing rain, ice or snow, equipment operators are required to check bridge decks in their respective areas to determine the need for salting, material spreading and plowing. Equipment operators are required to be familiar of bridges within their respective areas.
Snow Route Area Maps
The Public Works Department shall maintain a map showing the various priority streets and designated snow removal routes.
Departures from Policy
The Village Board recognizes that conditions may be so unusual or unexpected that a departure from these general policies should be authorized. Therefore, when conditions warrant, the Public Works Department may have a departure from these general policies when conditions warrant such action.