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Winter Maintenance

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HomeOur CommunityRoads and SidewalksWinter Maintenance
 
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Our Public Works department keeps our community safe in the winter months by providing ongoing maintenance to the roads and City sidewalks. 

For more information, view our Snow and Ice Removal By-law and Winter Operations Policy.

When it Snows

During a snowfall the City does its best to clear roadways to reduce motorist and pedestrian hazards.  It is important to note however, that it could take between 16 to 24 hours to finish clearing residential roadways after the snow has stopped falling.  These guidelines are set out by the Ontario Minimum Maintenance Standard.

Here are the road plowing priorities and standards during normal winter conditions:

  1.  Major arterial and transit routes (Class 3)
  2. Secondary collector roads (Class 4)
  3. Local residential, commercial areas and minor hard-surfaced rural roads (Class 4 and 5) 

Plowing begins when there is an accumulation of 8 cm (3 inches) of snow on major arterial and collector roads.  City standards specify that up to 8 cm (3 inches) of snow may be allowed to accumulate on local residential, commercial areas and minor rural roads before plowing begins.

Sidewalks

Here are the sidewalk plowing priorities in the City during normal winter conditions:

  1. Sidewalks adjacent to high-volume roadways with high pedestrian volumes
  2. Sidewalks in the downtown core, including around City Hall and Transit routes
  3. Balance of sidewalks that can be cleared with a mechanical plow

Snow Plow Safety

  • Be patient and keep a safe distance (50ft) behind working snow plows.  Snow plows, often travel slowly because they are removing snow, spreading salt and or sand to roadways and remember they may need to back up often - If you can't see the mirrors, they can't see you!
  • Never pass a snow plow.  Snow plows are wider than the average vehicle with large blades that extend a meter or more ahead and into the neighbouring lane.  Passing a snow plow could result in a collision.
  • Don't drive beside snow plows. You risk collision as snow plows sometimes shift sideways when they are plowing packed snow or drifts.
  • Move aside.  Snow plows often drive along the centerline of a roadway to remove snow.  If you are approaching a snow plow from the opposite direction, shift right if conditions allow to ensure there is enough space for them to pass you safely.
  • Beware of reduced visibility.  even at reduced plowing speeds, a light powdery snow forms a cloud in the wake of a snow plow that severely restricts a driver's visibility making passing extremely dangerous.
  • Watch for snow plows on sunny days.  Snow plows and removal equipment must be out for several hours after a storm clearing shoulders and cutting back snow banks.  Please look out for plows even on clear days.

 

Common Snowstorm/Winter Maintenance Questions

Many residents are unaware the City does not have extra staff for weekends or holidays.  The work performed during these "after-hours" times is done by the same staff that works regular weekday hours.  Staff make every effort to maintain the City's roads and sidewalks in a professional and timely manner.

The City of Elliot Lake has 268.9 lane km (120.9 lane km are mine & cottage roads) that require winter maintenance.

Our drivers are regulated by the Province as to the maximum number of hours they are allowed to drive in one day.  With this limitation, we work to clear snow from roads and sidewalks so our residents can get home at the end of a snow event.

Every winter, we have incidents where residents have thrown objects, snow and shovels at our equipment or verbally abused our drivers.  Our staff are doing the best job they can.  They are out clearing snow before most people leave for work and continue to work until most people come home at the end of the day.  Then, our staff returns home where they need to shovel their own driveways.

Below are a number of frequently asked questions regarding winter road maintenance:

 A City staff member said my children are not allowed to play on the piles of snow along the roadside.  Is this true?

 Snow Banks - At all times, please ensure children do not play in snow banks along the roadways or sidewalks.

Tunnels - Children like to tunnel, make forts and slides in the roadside snow banks.  This is a dangerous situation and we ask all parents to ensure their children are not in any areas where the plows could be working.

Snow plow operators plowing the streets or sidewalks are unaware if children are playing in snow banks. 

Children can be fascinated by large equipment and machines, but please make sure they are supervised and at a safe distance/location from snow clearing operations while they work.

 I saw a plow truck start to do our street, but then backed up and left without finishing.  I called the City and was told that the plow could not go between the parked cars.

 Parked cars slow down the clearing operations and delay our response to other streets.  Keep your vehicles off the road during a snow event and 48 hours after the storm event for cleanup operations.

Plows will not continue further if the plow operator cannot safely maneuver between cars parked on the street (especially cars parked across from each other on the street).  The operator will leave that area and attempt to return to this area when he has completed the remainder of his route - but this may not be until the next day.

"Stagger" the parking if you must park on the street and a vehicle is already parked directly across from where you want to park.  Plow might be able to maneuver between the cars and continue to plow the street.

 There is snow left on my street from the plow going around parked cars.  When does the plow come back to plow away the snow left on my street?

 Our priority is to continue plowing streets to ensure that all residents' streets have at least one plowing during an event and resources are not available to return during a storm to clear snow left behind due to parked cars.

If the plow has already been on your street and plowed around parked cars, there will be a mound of snow left around the parked vehicles.  Once those parked cars have left, the plow will return to clear the snow left behind, but this will not be during the snow event and may not occur until the next day or more.

 Why does the plow always put snow in my driveway?  I want you to come back and clear out this snow!

 There will always be varying amounts of road snow that is deposited by the plow into driveway openings which cannot be avoided each time the plow clears the streets.

Snow plows clear streets from the center of the street to the curb - sometimes leaving snow across private driveways.  Unfortunately this cannot be efficiently prevented.

The City will not clean out snow that has been deposited by our plows into driveways.  We suggest if you have a medical/physical condition that prevents you from clearing the snow from your driveway, that you contact family, neighbours, or contractors that may be able to assist with the snow removal.

When you shovel your driveway at the road edge, place the snow at the 'downstream' side of the driveway; i.e.: put the piled snow where plow will take the snow away - not where the plow will 'drag/push' the piled snow back into your driveway or in the center of the road.

 What is a windrow?
 Windrows are the clumps of snow left at the end of your driveway after the snow plow clears your road.  Our snow plow crews' first priority during a snowstorm is to clear the roads and get you moving safely around the City again.  It is your responsibility to clear snow left by the plows on your driveway.
 You already plowed the street and then came back the next day and pushed more snow into my driveway.

 After a significant snowstorm and the initial snow plowing and sanding has been completed, the City will need to remove snow that is piled along the road edge/curb that is causing the road surface to 'narrow'.  The snow remaining on the road requires the plows to go through the streets and push it back.  The may cause some snow to be deposited back into your driveways.

This operation also assists in exposing the road drainage catch basins, which need to be open to handle melting snow or rainstorms to reduce the freezing on the road.

You can assist in getting water off the street by exposing catch basins that may be along the curb in front of your home.

 My street isn't cleared until the end of the day and other streets get done earlier. Why?

 All snow plow routes have a start and end location.  Your street may be at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a snow plow priority route list which may be up to 12 hours to complete after the storm stops.  Many residents call upset because the plow hasn't arrived, but depending on the street, they may not be scheduled to be plowed until the end of the route.

 I live on a court and you don't properly clear the snow away when the truck comes through.  Then later in the day, you have another machine come and move the remaining snow.  Why don't you do this the first time with the plow truck?

To deal with heavy snowfall, cul-de-sac clearing is performed in two steps:  

  1. the snow plow will clear the cul-de-sac to open up the roadway, 
  2. after it has stopped snowing the City will come back to clean up and/or remove the snow when snow storage has been exhausted.

 A large snow plow is not able to maneuver effectively within a cul-de-sac and is best used on the straighter roadways.

If you live on a cul-de-sac, dead end court or at a 90 degree bend in the road, you may find that the plow will come through and clear the central lanes and leave the area.  Our typical operation is for a different type of machine to follow-up later to clean the street more thoroughly.

There could be a significant lag time before this machine arrives to finish plowing.  This process allows us to 'free up' the main plows to continue clearing snow efficiently, rather than spend too much time at one location.

 I was told that I can't put the snow onto the road.  Why not? You just plow it away anyway!

 Placing snow or ice on a roadway is a violation under the Highway Traffic Act.

Please do not shovel, push, snow plow, or deposit snow onto the roadway, shoulders or sidewalks.  This hampers our operations, may cause snowy or slippery conditions for pedestrians or vehicles and delay our clean up by requiring our equipment return to clear areas that were previously cleared.  It also creates a hazard for other motorists, especially when winter conditions make visibility difficult.

Ontario Traffic Act

 

 

 I need you to keep my street clear of snow because I have a medical condition and might need to get to the hospital.

 Call "911" for emergencies during a winter storm that requires Fire, Police or Ambulance whether or not your street has been cleared.  If Emergency Response agencies have difficulty accessing a street, the Emergency responder will contact the City staff directly and we respond immediately.

We receive many calls from residents needing the road cleared because they have to get to work or school, doctor appointment, have a medical condition, etc. and want the road opened immediately.  We cannot respond to these requests as 'all' City staff and equipment are working in their designated routes and we cannot effectively or efficiently reschedule them to other locations.

Winter storm events may require residents to reschedule appointments.

 Your machine just plowed the snow from the sidewalk and then a road plow came along and filled in the newly cleared sidewalk.
 The City provides sidewalk clearing during and after storm events on some sidewalks.  Many of the City's sidewalks are located close to the road and once cleared of snow can be refilled in by a passing roadway plow.  This cannot be prevented as there is very little space between the road edge and the sidewalk to 'store' the snow that is coming off both the road and the sidewalk.  When this occurs, once we become aware, staff will return to these locations to remove the snow as soon as possible.
 Your plow dug into the grass and made a mess.
 During snow clearing operations on both roads and sidewalks, there is always the possibility that some grass or granular shoulder along the roadside may be 'rutted' or disturbed.  If this occurs, please contact our Public Works Department and we will schedule the repairs in the Spring.  We do not repair or replace specialty concrete, paver stone or asphalt driveways/aprons that may be damaged by our snow clearing operations.
 Usually my street has been plowed by this time - what has happened?

 Many residents have a 'rough' idea as to when the plow generally arrives on their street after the start of a storm.  If you have not seen a plow and it is well past the usual time that a plow would generally be around and you think your street may have been missed, please call the Public Works Department and information will be forwarded to staff.  Operators are very good at completing their plow routes in a regular routine; however, alterations may occur due to equipment breakdown, delays due to parked cars obstructing our progress or plows having to bypass areas that can't be safely maneuvered and end up redirected to other streets where they can get through safely.

There may be a possibility that your street is missed, but staff tries their best and sometimes human mistakes are made.  This generally occurs when equipment breaks down and another truck that is unfamiliar with the route has to plow the streets.  If we become aware that a street has been missed, then staff will make arrangements to have the street plowed at the earliest opportunity.

Depending on the storm event, it can take 9 to 12 hours (or more) after the storm finishes for the plows to get to all the streets on their route.  We do not provide information nor will we identify when the plow will reach a particular street.  When dealing with a snow event, all our resources are involved in the snow removal.

 Your plow hit my mailbox or the snow from the plow knocked over my mailbox.

 The City will replace a mailbox and/or post, if there is obvious physical evidence on the mailbox/post that is was struck by the plow.

The City is not responsible for mailboxes or posts that may have been knocked down or bent from the snow coming off the plow.

Protect you mailbox by keeping the area around your mailbox clear of snow.  Most times when mailboxes get damaged, it's because plowed snow accumulates in front of it, causing increased weight and pressure against it over the course of the winter.  If your mailbox has been damaged, please contact the Public Works Department so we can arrange an inspection and a course of action.

 

 Will anything be done about the high snow banks along my street?
 The City will work to cut down the snow banks along major arterial and transit routes.  The City will begin to cut down snow banks when the banks cause sight line issues and width of the road becomes a hazard.  
Why are snow plow and sanders out on the streets when it is not snowing?
 Residents may see City crews out when it's not snowing.  We pro-actively pre-treat the roads during expected weather conditions.  In other cases, plows are sent out to address areas of concern that may have hills or curves.  With safety in mind, it is in the best interest of the City and the general public to have these areas treated to prevent ice formation.
 What are the winter parking requirements?
 Winter parking requirements affects all residents.  We ask that you ensure that your vehicle is not parked along any street between the hours of 12:00 am and 7:00 am whether or not there is snow on the ground.  Winter parking by-laws are in effect between November 1st to March 31st.  In case of a weather event, which would be announced by the City, we ask the public to not park on the road at anytime and if possible stay off the roads so the City can clean up the roads as quickly as possible.  The main reason for this is to allow emergency vehicles (ambulance, fire and police) to respond according.
 Do I have to clear the snow away from the fire hydrant at the bottom of my property?

While technically it is the responsibility of municipalities to keep fire hydrants clear of ice and snow, that isn't always possible. 

You can assist in keeping the hydrant cleared close to your property.  For those that hire a contractor to clear your driveway, ask them to not put snow around the hydrant. This will greatly assist fire department personnel if they need to access during an emergency.  Every second counts when the fire department is trying to access a hydrant for a water source to fight a fire.

 

 How can residents help?

 Residents can assist the City in the winter by doing a few things to assist in snow clearing operations:

  • Avoid parking on city streets to allow plows to do their work.
  • When shoveling snow from your sidewalk or driveway, don't throw it on the street or onto public sidewalks.  Pile snow on your property.
  • Place Blue Boxes and garbage containers on a cleared area at the end of your driveway or near the curb.  Do not place containers on top of snowbanks, on sidewalks or roads.
  • Be mindful of your neighbours.  Do not pile snow so the City plow will push it away from your entrance and fill in your neighbor's entrance.

Plowing Soft Snow/Road Scraping

Winter temperatures can fluctuate more than 30 degrees, sometimes within days.  Warmer temperatures cause packed snow on the roads to melt, and to become soft and slushy.  When vehicles drive through this soft snow, it creates irregularities on the surface of the road.  These irregularities require additional plowing/sanding/salting to keep the roads safer for vehicles.

Plowing the soft, slushy snow must be completed before the colder temperatures set in and freeze it.  Once the snow pack re-freezes, correcting these issues with a snowplow is limited and graders with ice blades are required to scrape the ice formations down to a smoother surface. This is a slow task involving multiple passes with the grader.  With each pass, the grader removes a small layer of ice.  This method removes the ice as small shards to the edge of the road and minimizes the creation of large ice chucks.  The City public works department when possible, will send  a frontend loader to assist  the grader operator with ice chucks exceeding 2 feet in height.  The frontend loader operator will dispose of the ice chunks in the homeowners front yard from which driveway they were removed from. 

Plowing Schedule

If your street hasn't been plowed, please wait 24 hours before calling to ask about plowing.  Depending on the severity of the storm and the location of your residence, plows may reach your street for 24 hours.

Please review the table below for average clearing times for roads, sidewalks and bus stops.  Average clearing times depend on a variety of factors including:

  • severe weather conditions
  • equipment breakdowns
  • parked cars impeding road access
  • heavy traffic or accidents

Report an issue

Please report a snow removal issue if you see one in our community.

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