Winter Operations Policy — full text

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot ed8ce0e04c0c · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

MUNICIPALITY OF WHITEHEAD WINTER OPERATIONS POLICY Department Public Works Classification POLICY Subject Winter Operations Pages 4 Authority Council Effective Date February 14, 2022 Approved Resolution 2022-37 Index PW-2022/03 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to provide direction and set priorities for winter operations and repeal Priority Road Clearing After Snowstorm & Routine Maintenance Policy PW-03. PREAMBLE: The Rural Municipality of Whitehead is committed to providing winter operations in the most cost and time efficient manner possible while ensuring the safety and well-being of residents, staff and visitors. Provincial legislation must be adhered to that governs the operation of equipment on public roads and the safety and work alone regulations pertaining to staff. DEFINITIONS: Bus Routes means routes provided by the school divisions that have routes within the municipality. Emergency means actions taken to the response to a request from Fire & Emergency services or Law Enforcement. Emergency Route means the route travelled to the location of an emergency or resident with medical conditions. Major Snow Event means snow accumulations on excess of 15cm Minor Snow Event means snow accumulations of 7 cm - 14 cm Municipality means Rural Municipality of Whitehead MUNICIPALITY OF WHITEHEAD WINTER OPERATIONS POLICY Non-All Weather/Machinery Road means any road in the municipality that is not built to standards and are often grass or dirt covered with no or little surface materials added and are used only during a limited portion of the year. Primary Road meads any road in the municipality built to municipal standards that regularly has a high traffic volume and is used as a main access route. Regular Maintenance means works taken during normal business hours of Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm, this excludes all holidays as noted in the employee by-law, for snow accumulations of 1cm - 6cm. Rotational Plowing means changing of starting points for equipment deployed between the north and south in both the east and west quadrants. For reference RD 122W is the dividing point between quadrants. Secondary Road means any gravelled municipal road used by the public for travel. New accumulation means the natural accumulation of any of the following that, on its own or together, covers more than half a lanes width of roadway: 1. Newly fallen snow 2. Wind blown snow 3. Slush DEPLOYMENT OF EQUIPMENT Equipment may be deployed during or after a snow or wind event. Roads will be cleared in the following Priority Roads Criteria: 1. School Division Bus Routes & Primary Roads 2. The LUD of Alexander 3. Secondary roads Equipment shall be deployed for regular maintenance using rotational plowing unless at the discretion of the Leadhand, all bus routes, emergency or emergency routes will be attended to first. During a minor snow event, the Leadhand may deploy equipment during the evening and MUNICIPALITY OF WHITEHEAD WINTER OPERATIONS POLICY weekend, following the priority roads criteria and rotational plowing. Note: emergency or emergency routes will be attended to first. During a major snow event, the Leadhand may deploy equipment during the evenings, overnight and weekends following the priority roads criteria, rotational plowing. Note: emergency or emergency routes will be attended to first. 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 Leadhand. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SNOW CLEARING The Municipality will provide routine snow clearing on all all-weather roads. Roads will be cleared on a rotational basis. To ensure municipal all-weather roads are maintained efficiently and safely, Property owners must adhere to the following requirements: - All property owners are responsible for clearing residual snow ridges/windrows at the end of their approaches, laneways or driveways - Vehicles are not to be parked on roadways (including the LUD of Alexander) SNOW RIDGING The Public Works Leadhand may deem it necessary to create snow ridging/windrows to control blowing snow. Written authorization will be required from the landowner for the first ridging/windrow, including saving harmless the municipality from possible land contamination. All appropriate precautions will be followed. TOWING Municipal equipment shall not be used to tow any vehicle that is not owned by the municipality. MUNICIPALITY OF WHITEHEAD WINTER OPERATIONS POLICY PLOWING SNOW ONTO MUNICIPAL RIGHT-OF-WAY It is an offence for any person to plow, blow, shovel or move snow onto any municipal right-of- way. A minimum $150.00 will be charged to the property owner in the event snow has been pushed/moved onto the municipal right-of-way LEVEL OF SERVICE All priority roads will be open 48 hours after deployment of equipment with other roads being open with in 72 hours after deployment. Private works request must apply by way of application and sign a save harmless agreement prior to work being completed. Private works shall not be considered priority and will be completed once time permits. HOURS OF OPERATION AND STAFFING LEVELS For safety reasons, operators will be limited to a daily maximum of 12 hours of service. All while adhering to the Safe Work Procedures for working alone as per Manitoba Regulation 217/2006 Part 9 Section 9.3(1).