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DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 1 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
OBJECTIVE:
1.1
The objectives for WINTER OPERATIONS are:
1.1.1
To reduce the occurrences of adverse driving conditions on Roadways for motorists
and adverse walking conditions on Sidewalks for pedestrians.
1.1.2
To reduce economic losses to the community and industry caused by workers not
being able to get to their jobs.
1.1.3
To facilitate the handling of emergencies by fire and police officials.
SUMMARY:
2.1
WINTER OPERATIONS shall be addressed in accordance with the following:
2.2
Patrolling
2.2.1
In addition to Roadway Patrolling (RMO - 13) winter operation Roadways patrolling
shall be done between the months of November through to May.
2.2.2
The route to be patrolled will be a combination of Arterial Roadways and Collector
Roadways which are deemed by the City to be representative of the City's Roadways,
as determined by the City by September 30th each year.
2.2.3
Winter patrolling shall consist of observing the Roadway either by driving
on or by Electronically Monitoring the Roadway.
2.2.4
Winter patrolling frequency during adverse weather conditions will increase in order to
respond to adverse weather event.
2.3
Weather Monitoring
2.3.1
Monitoring of weather shall be done between the periods of November through to May.
2.3.2
Monitoring shall consist of reviewing the current weather conditions and the forecast
to occur in the next 24 hours, 3 times per day.
2.4
Arterial Roadways
2.4.1
Roadways within this category shall have Asphalt Surfaces maintained as bare
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 2 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
as possible through the use of all assigned staff, equipment and materials suited
to the conditions.
2.4.2
In cases where the Snow Event conditions are so severe so as to necessitate a
withdrawal of staff and equipment from the Roadways, then maintenance efforts
shall cease until the Snow Event conditions sufficiently subside and the health and
safety of staff and equipment is no longer at risk.
2.4.3
Transit routes located within the classification of Arterial Roadways shall be given
priority for maintenance purposes over other portions of the Arterial Highways.
2.4.4
Plowing shall commence at 2:00 a.m. after the following condition have been met:
2.4.4.1
Snow depths of 5 cm or more have accumulated on the Roadways.
2.5
Collector Roadways
2.5.1
Roadways within this category shall have surfaces maintained as bare as possible
through the use of all assigned staff, equipment and materials suited to the
conditions.
2.5.2
Transit routes located within the classification of Collector Roadways shall be given
priority for maintenance purposes over other portions of the Collector Roadways.
2.5.3
Plowing shall commence at 2:00 a.m. after the following condition have been met:
2.5.3.1
Snow depths of 5 cm or more have accumulated on the Roadways.
2.6
Local Roadways
2.6.1
Applies to all other Roadways other than Arterial Roadways and Collector Roadways.
2.6.2
Plowing of Local Roadways shall not commence until all the following conditions
have been met:
2.6.2.1
All Arterial Roadways and Collector Roadways have been plowed;
2.6.2.2
Snow depths of 10 cm or more have accumulated on the Roadways.
2.7
General - Plowing
2.7.1
Normally plowing of Arterial Roadways and Collector Roadways will be completed
within 7 hours from the time plows start to clear Arterial Roadways and Collector
Roadways.
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 3 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
2.7.2
In some Snow Event situations the normal plowing routes and schedules for Arterial
Roadways and Collector Roadways may be abandoned to ensure major emergency
routes are kept open during a Severe Snow Event.
2.7.3
Normally plowing of Local Roadways will be completed within 72 hours from the time
the Snow Event has stopped and plows start to clear Local Roadways. This plowing
timeline is to accommodate Calendar Parking requirements.
2.7.4
In Severe Snow Events the following conditions shall apply:
2.7.4.1
Only one lane of Roadways may be plowed in the first 72 hour period.
2.7.4.2
Local Roadway plowing may be abandoned to ensure Arterial Roadways and
Collector Roadways are kept open.
2.7.4.3
Local Roadway plowing may be abandoned to ensure major emergency routes
are kept open.
2.7.5 Ice Cutting of the Roadway surfaces will be carried out only when personnel and
equipment are not required for maintaining Arterial Roadways and Collector
Roadways.
2.8
Snow Pickup/Blowing/Benching
2.8.1
Snow Pickup, Snow Blowing or Benching will be performed on Arterial Roadways to
restore traffic capacity only when all Arterial, Collector and Local Roadways have
been plowed.
2.8.2
Intersections within Arterial Roadways will have snow banks removed, Snow Blown or
Benched back to restore traffic capacity and reduce line of sight obstructions as soon
as possible following completion of plowing.
2.8.3
Snow Pickup, Snow Blowing or Benching will be performed on Collector Roadways to
restore traffic capacity only when all Arterial, Collector and Local Roadways are
plowed and all Arterial Roadways traffic capacity has been restored.
2.8.4
Snow Pickup, Snow Blowing or Benching will be performed on Local Roadways to
restore traffic capacity only when all Arterial and Collector Roadways have been
plowed and all Arterial and Collector Roadways traffic capacity has been restored.
The following conditions apply:
2.8.4.1
Snow Pickup on Local Roadways shall consist of one side of the Roadway
receiving Snow Pickup to allow for one lane of passable traffic.
2.8.4.2
Snow on the even side of the Local Roadways will be picked up on an even
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 4 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
year during a Winter Season.
2.8.4.3
Snow on the odd side of the Local Roadways will be picked up on the odd year
during a Winter Season.
2.8.4.4
Snow Pickup for the purposes of odd and even designations will be based
on the year the Winter Season begins.
2.8.4.5
If for any reason the criteria for Snow Pickup cannot be achieved on a
certain Local Roadway, the Roads Supervisor will determine the best
method to restore a passable lane along that Local Roadway.
2.9
Snow Pickup for the Downtown Cores will be based on the following conditions:
2.9.1
The Downtown Cores may receive one pickup each winter season if traffic
capacities of Roadways are impacted.
2.9.2
Prior to Snow Pickup operations beginning, all Arterial, Collector, and Local
Roadways will have been plowed and traffic capacity resolved.
2.9.3
A minimum 10 working days free of Snow Events is required to complete this
work, and the initiation of this work will be based on weather forecasts from
Environment Canada.
2.9.4
In the event of a Snow Event occurring during any pickup operation, all
assigned personnel and equipment will be immediately re-assigned to snow
plowing operations.
2.9.5
Snow Pickup in the Downtown Cores will resume when the preceding
conditions have all been met.
2.10
Sidewalks
2.10.1 Sidewalk surfaces will be addressed through the use of assigned personnel and
equipment using the following criteria:
2.10.2
Plowed Sidewalk surfaces will be maintained to a minimum of a Hard
Pack Snow Condition.
2.10.3
Snow Blown Sidewalk surfaces will be maintained to a minimum of a Hard
Pack Snow Condition.
2.10.4
Sidewalks on Arterial and Collector Roadways and Roadways in the
surrounding property of schools, transit routes, and government and
privately operated senior facilities, hospitals and Downtown Cores are
considered priority routes.
2.10.5
Plowing of Sidewalks on Arterial Roadways and Collector Roadways will
commence only when snow reaches an accumulated depth of 5 cm or more.
2.10.6
Plowing of Sidewalks on Arterial Roadways and Collector Roadways will
normally be completed 14 hours after a Snow Event has stopped and plowing
has commenced.
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 5 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
2.10.7
Snow Blowing of Sidewalks on Arterial Roadways and Collectors Roadways,
when necessary, will normally be completed 36 hours after a Snow Event
has stopped and plowing has commenced.
2.11
Plowing of Sidewalks on Local Roadways will commence subject to the following conditions:
2.11.1
Snow depths of 5 cm or more have accumulated on the Sidewalk.
2.11.2
All Sidewalks on Arterial and Collector Roadways have been plowed.
2.11.3
Plowing of Sidewalks on Local Roadways will normally be completed 72 hours
after all Sidewalks on Arterial and Collector Roadways have been cleared.
2.11.4
Snow Blowing of Sidewalks on Local Roadways, when necessary, will normally
be completed 125 hours after all Sidewalks on Arterial and Collector
Roadways have been cleared.
2.12
Sidewalk Snow Plowing and Snow Blowing may be abandoned in extreme
circumstances under the following conditions;
2.12.1
Extra storage capacity is required to keep the Arterial and Collector Roadways open.
2.12.2
All personnel and equipment resources are required for emergency Roadways plowing.
2.13
Sanding & Salting of Roadways
2.13.1 Salt shall, whenever possible, be applied very early in a Snow Event in order to take
advantage of the brine sandwich effect. The brine sandwich effect is when road salt
dissolves into a liquid form and is located as a layer of salt brine between the roadway
and accumulated snow on the roadway. The brine sandwich prevents the snow from
bonding to Asphalt Surfaces resulting in ice.
2.13.2 Salt, Winter Control Sand and a combination of both Sand and Salt shall be applied
as per the City's Salt Management Plan.
2.13.3 Continuous sanding generally shall be carried out only during freezing rain or
general icy conditions caused by a failure of other treatments.
2.13.4 Continuous sanding shall be applied as per the City's Salt Management Plan.
2.13.5 Spot Sanding and Salting shall be carried out on designated Roadways to
address icy conditions.
2.13.6 Predetermined routes for plowing, sanding and salting shall be followed except
in critical situations.
2.14
Sanding & Salting Sidewalks
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 6 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
2.14.1 Pure salt shall never be applied to concrete Sidewalk surfaces unless authorized by
the Manager of the Roads Section as a special consideration for unusually icy
conditions.
2.14.2 Sanding of Sidewalks will be carried out under the following conditions:
2.14.2.1
All Sidewalks on Arterial, Collector and Local Roadways have been plowed.
2.14.2.2
Sidewalks on Arterial and Collector Roadways and Roadways in the
surrounding property of schools, transit routes, and government and
privately operated senior facilities, hospitals and Downtown Cores are
considered priority routes.
2.15
General
2.15.1 Private Driveway entrances will not be cleared.
2.15.2 Local special permit parking areas will not be cleared.
2.15.3 Private Driveway snow banks will not be removed.
2.15.4 The maintenance of private Driveways and special permit parking areas is
the sole responsibility of the property owner.
2.16 Level of Service Table
2.16.1 The preceding levels of service are summarized in the following table.
Road
Classification
(Urban)
Minimum
Allowable
Accumulation
Plow
Standard
Expected
time of
completion
Snow
Pick Up
Salt
Sand
Remarks
**Arterial
Roadways
5 cm.
Yes
As bare
as
possible
Within 7
hours from
time plowing
begins.
To
maintain
traffic
capacity
as
required
.
Yes, if
required
Yes
Most
important
routes. All
effort
authorized.
**Collector
Roadways
5 cm.
Yes
As bare
as
possible
Within 7
hours from
time plowing
begins
To
maintain
traffic
capacity
as
required
.
Yes, if
required
Yes
Second most
important
routes.
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 7 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
** Bus Routes
5 cm.
Yes
Clean up
only when
staff &
equipment
not
required
for
maintainin
g Arterial &
Collector
Roadways.
Within 7
hours from
time plowing
begins
To
maintain
traffic
capacity
as
required.
Yes, if
required
If
needed
to
control
icy
spots.
Second most
important
routes.
Local
Roadways
10 cm. (all
priority route
plowing
completed first)
Yes
Same as
above
Within
72
hours after
priority
plowing
completed.
To
maintain
one
passable
lane as
required.
No
If
needed
for ice.
Devote
effort to
these
Roadways
only after
other
levels
are
addre
ssed
Roadways Objective
Note: **(priority routes)
DATE: January 1, 2017
PAGE: 8 of 8
INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
ROADS MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES
RMO - 22
SECTION
ROADS SECTION
ROADS MAINTENANCE
SUBJECT
WINTER OPERATIONS
Sidewalks Objective
Sidewalk Class
Level of
Service
Plowing
Overtime
Authorized
Minimum
Allowable
Accumulation
Standard
Expected
time of
Completio
n
Plow/
Blow
Remarks
Roadways
deemed to be
Priority Routes
Yes
5 cm
Hard Pack Snow
Surface
Plowing:14
hours
Blowing: 36
hours
Yes
Priority Routes
1) Arterial and Collector Roadways
2) School zones
3) Transit Routes
4) Senior Facilities
5) Hospitals
5) Downtown Cores
All Other
Roadways
Yes
5 cm.
Hard Pack Snow
Surface
Plowing: 72
hours
Blowing: 125
hours
Yes
Second most important
routes; Sidewalks on Local
Roadways
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Sidewalk Class
Level of
Service
Sanding
Overtime
Authorized
Minimum
Allowable
Accumulation
Standard
Expected
time of
Completio
n
Sand
Remarks
Roadways
deemed to be
Priority Routes
Yes
5 cm
Hard Pack Snow
Surface
24
hours
Yes
Priority routes
1) Arterial and Collector Roadways
2) School zones
3) Transit Routes
4) Senior Facilities
5) Hospitals
5) Downtown Cores
All Other
Roadways
Yes
5 cm.
Hard Pack Snow
Surface
72
hours
Yes
Second most important
routes; Sidewalks on Local
Roadways.