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Amended July 2019
County of Simcoe
Winter Maintenance Standard
This maintenance standard is issued for the purpose of planning the winter plowing
operations and procedures on County of Simcoe Roads. Simcoe County recognizes the
Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, Ontario Regulation 239/02 as
amended, and shall generally conform to the requirements of sections 3, 4 and 5.
The County of Simcoe Winter Maintenance Season shall be for the period of November 1
to April 15.
ROAD CLASSIFICATION
CLASS 1 - roads carrying traffic volume equal to or greater than 23,000 vehicles
per day
CLASS 2 - roads carrying traffic volume equal to or greater than 5,000 vehicles
per day and less than 22,999 vehicles per day
CLASS 3 - roads carrying traffic volume equal to or greater than 1,000 vehicles
per day and less than 5,000 vehicles per day
CLASS 4 - roads carrying less than 1000 vehicles per day
Patrolling
1. (1) The minimum standard for the frequency of patrolling of highways to check
for conditions described in the Regulation is set out in the Table to this section.
(2) If it is determined that the weather monitoring referred to in section 2.1
indicates that there is a substantial probability of snow accumulation on roadways,
ice formation on roadways or icy roadways, the minimum standard for patrolling
highways is, in addition to that set out in subsection (1), to patrol highways that
the municipality selects as representative of its highways, at intervals deemed
necessary by the municipality, to check for such conditions.
(3) Patrolling a highway consists of observing the highway, either by driving on
or by electronically monitoring the highway, and may be performed by persons
responsible for patrolling highways or by persons responsible for performing
highway maintenance activities.
Amended July 2019
PATROLLING FREQUENCY
Weather Monitoring
2. (1) From October 1 to April 30, the minimum standard is to monitor the weather,
both current and forecast to occur in the next 24 hours, once every shift or three
times per calendar day, at intervals determined by the municipality.
(2) From May 1 to September 30, the minimum standard is to monitor the
weather, both current and forecast to occur in the next 24 hours, once per shift.
Plowing Standard
3. (1) The minimum standard for addressing snow accumulation is,
a) after becoming aware of the fact that the snow accumulation on the roadway is
greater than the depth as set out in the Table to this section, to deploy snow-
clearing resources as soon as practicable to address the snow accumulation;
and
b) after the snow accumulation has ended, to clear the snow to a depth less than
or equal to the depth set out in the Table within the time set out in the Table,
(i)
to provide a minimum lane width of the lesser of three metres for
each lane or the actual lane width, or
(ii)
on a Class 4 or Class 5 highway with two lanes, to provide a total
width of at least five metres.
(2) If the depth of snow accumulation on a roadway is less than or equal to the
depth set out in the Table to this section, the roadway is deemed to be in a state
of repair with respect to snow accumulation.
Class of Road
Patrolling Frequency
1
3 times every 7 days
2
2 times every 7 days
3
once every 7 days
4
once every 14 days
5
once every 30 days
Amended July 2019
(3) For the purposes of this section, addressing snow accumulation on a roadway
includes, but is not limited to,
(a)
plowing the roadway;
(b)
salting the roadway;
(c)
applying abrasive materials to the roadway; or
(d)
any combination of the methods described in clauses (a), (b) and (c).
(4) This section does not apply to that portion of the roadway designated for
parking.
(5) In this section,
"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;
(i)
New fallen snow.
(ii)
Wind-blown snow.
(iii)
Slush
SNOW ACCUMULATION TABLE
Class of Highway
Depth
Time
1
2.5 cm
4 hours
2
5cm
6 hours
3
8cm
12 hours
4
8cm
16 hours
Icy roadways
4.
(1) The minimum standard for the prevention of ice formation on roadways is
doing the following in the 24-hour period preceding an alleged formation of ice
on a roadway:
1.
Monitor the weather in accordance with section 2.1.
2.
Patrol in accordance with section 1.
3.
If the municipality determines, as a result of its activities under paragraph
1 or 2, that there is a substantial probability of ice forming on a roadway, treat the
roadway within the time set out in the Table to this section, starting from the time
that the municipality determines is the appropriate time to deploy resources for
that purpose.
Amended July 2019
(2) If the municipality meets the minimum standard set out in subsection (1) and,
despite such compliance, ice forms on a roadway, the roadway is deemed to be in
a state of repair until the earlier of,
(a)
the time that the municipality becomes aware of the fact that the roadway
is icy; or
(b)
the applicable time set out in the Table to this section for treating the
roadway to prevent ice formation expires.
(3) The minimum standard for treating icy roadways after the municipality
becomes aware of the fact that a roadway is icy is to treat the icy roadway within
the time set out in the Table to this section, and an icy roadway is deemed to be in
a state of repair until the applicable time set out in the Table for treating the icy
roadway expires.
(4) For the purposes of this section, treating a roadway means applying material
to the roadway, including but not limited to, salt, sand or any combination of salt
and sand.
ICY ROADWAYS
Class of Highway
Time
1
3 hours
2
4 hours
3
8 hours
4
12 hours