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O:\3. Administration\3.3 Administrative Policies and Procedures\Policies\Transportation
MUNICIPALITY OF OAKLAND-WAWANESA
POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL
Reference: Transportation
Classification: Policy
Subject: Winter Operations Policy
Pages: 1 of 3
Authority: Resolution of Council
Effective Date: December 18, 2018
Approved: December 18, 2018
Revised: December 19, 2024
TITLE: Winter Operations Policy
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction and set priorities for winter operations and to repeal Winter
Storm Plowing Policy TRANS005 and Custom Work Policy TRANS006.
PREAMBLE:
The Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa is committed to providing winter operations in the most cost and time
efficient manner possible to ensure the safety and well-being of residents and staff while adhering to provincial
legislation that governs the operation of equipment on public roads and safety and work alone regulations
pertaining to staff.
DEFINITIONS
Emergency means action taken in response to a request from fire, medical or police personnel.
Emergency Route means a route taken to the location of a resident with known medical conditions, or routes
accessed by first responders.
Major Snow Event means snow accumulations in excess of 15cm.
Minor Snow Event means snow accumulations of 7cm to 14cm.
Public Work Manager's discretion means at the discretion of the Public Works Manager following necessary
consultation with appropriate members of Council and staff and decisions made at the discretion of the Public
Works Manager shall be supported by Council.
Regular Maintenance means action taken during normal business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m., excluding holidays, for snow accumulations of 1cm to 6cm.
Rotational plowing means the changing of starting points for grader deployment between the north and south
areas in both the east and west quadrants. Rd.105 is the dividing line between east and west quadrants.
Policy
#
TRANS009
O:\3. Administration\3.3 Administrative Policies and Procedures\Policies\Transportation
Snow accumulation means the natural accumulation of any of the following that, alone or together, covers
more than half a lane width of a roadway:
1. Newly-fallen snow
2. Wind-blown snow
3. Slush
Winter Operation Period means the period between October 15th and April 1st.
DEPLOYMENT OF EQUIPMENT
Equipment shall be deployed for regular maintenance using rotational plowing unless at the discretion of the
Public Works Manager, an emergency or emergency route must first be attended to.
During a minor snow event, in addition to regular maintenance, equipment may be deployed at the discretion of
the Public Works Manager during evenings and weekends, using rotational plowing unless an emergency or
emergency route must first be attended to.
During a major snow event, in addition to regular maintenance, equipment may be deployed at the discretion of
the Public Works Manager during evenings, overnight and weekends, using rotational plowing unless an
emergency or emergency route must first be attended to.
Equipment will first be deployed to open the roads, following which equipment will revisit locations to clear
intersections and driveways.
Equipment will not be deployed if provincial highways are closed.
Equipment will not be deployed during a storm except for emergency or emergency route clearing, at the
discretion of the Public Works Manager.
LEVEL OF SERVICE
All roads will be open 48 hours after deployment of equipment.
Intersections and driveways will be cleared 60 hours after deployment of equipment.
Pushing back snow following clearing shall be at the discretion of the Public Works Manager, within budget
allocations.
There will be no custom or private work undertaken with municipal equipment.
HOURS OF OPERATION AND STAFFING LEVELS
For safety reasons, operators will be limited a maximum of 12 hours of service.
In adherence to work alone policies, no operator shall work alone.
O:\3. Administration\3.3 Administrative Policies and Procedures\Policies\Transportation
SNOW FENCING
Written authorization will be required from property owners for the first installation of snow fencing, including
saving harmless the municipality from possible land contamination. Fence holes and equipment tires will be
sprayed with bleach to help offset the possibility of contamination. Subsequent installations will require
documented telephone confirmation.
Each location will receive 200 feet of snow fence, setback 150' from the road for flat terrain and 250' for raised
or hilled areas. With the exception of existing stock, all snow fencing will be orange for maximum visibility.
Snow fencing will be installed at the following locations unless the land owner(s) specifies snow ridging:
Rd.#1074
Rd.#435 (Treesbank Road)
Rd.#455 (Tower Road mailboxes)
Rd.#384 (Paisley Road)
Rd.#1038 (Rounthwaite Road)
Rd.#1147 (Bunclody/Train Tracks)
SNOW RIDGING
With the exception of the roads specified above under Snow Fencing, snow ridging can be performed if
preferred over snow fencing.
Written authorization will be required from property owners for the first ridging, including saving harmless the
municipality from possible land contamination. Dirt will be knocked off equipment blades to help offset the
possibility of contamination. Subsequent installations will require documented telephone confirmation.
USE OF EQUIPMENT OUTSIDE OF MUNICIPALITY
At the discretion of the Public Works Manager, municipal equipment may operate outside of the municipality in
the case of an emergency.
TOWING
Municipal equipment shall not be used to tow any vehicle that is not owned by the municipality.
PLOWING SNOW ONTO MUNICIPAL RIGHTS-OF-WAY
It is an offence for any person to plow snow onto any municipal rights-of-way. Penalties or fines will be issued
in accordance with provincial legislation.
DISCLAIMER
This Policy is based on normal winter weather conditions, reliability and availability of resources both human
and physical. The municipality does not guarantee a level of service under abnormal or extreme winter
conditions nor in the event of a work stoppage. It is acknowledged that conditions may occur which temporarily
prevent achieving levels assigned. In such cases, efforts will be made to keep roads open, consistent with
available resources.