Plan now to make for a safe winter season
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By GLEN ZWIEFELHOFER
For the Herald
Thursday, October 30, 2008 10:05 AM CDT
Like other local units of government the Chippewa Falls Street Department is busy preparing for the upcoming winter.
Equipment is being checked over, plows repaired and installed, salt ordered, sand/ salt mixture prepared and crews trained.
The City participates in a state bid which guarantees 270 tons of salt in an early fill, 500 tons seasonal fill and a reserve amount of 140 tons depending on the severity of the winter.
All early fill salt has arrived and the vendor has indicated that things look good for the rest of the salt to be available. The big difference will be the 11 percent increase in price. That large of an increase was not anticipated.
Typically, salt is used as long as the temperature is 15 degrees above zero.
It is spread on the hills, highways, downtown areas and bridges once those areas have been plowed. A sand/ salt mixture of 20 to one is used on all remaining streets and when temperatures get below 15 degrees.
On average, the City uses 1,800-2,000 tons of sand/salt. Due to the price increase plans are being made to use less salt and more sand/salt if at all possible.
With 97.11 (85.27 in 2000) miles of streets, 20 city-owned or leased parking lots, Irvine Park, approximately 25 miles of alleyways, sidewalks and bike trails, higher fuel costs will also play a part in the upcoming snow removal process.
Fuel prices in mid-September were 33 percent above the price the city paid in December 2007.
During an average winter there are six to eight snow storms that warrant using full street department staff and equipment.
The staff consists of 16 Street Department employees (down from 23 in 2001), three Parks and Recreation employees (used since 2004) and two City custodial staff (this will be their first winter). Water and Waste Water employees are also used if necessary. Plow wings added to most equipment has allowed staff levels to drop during this time.
Normal starting time is 3 a.m., with each employee assigned a specific plow route. Hills, school areas and main traveled streets are plowed first in each area. When a specific route is completed the employee is assigned where needed. Routes also exist for clearing the city-owned sidewalks and parking lots.
If weather conditions are favorable and equipment breakdowns are at a minimum, the streets should all be plowed by noon or shortly after. Amount of snowfall, wetness of the snowfall, and the number of nuisance snow falls, help determine if alleys are plowed. Alleys are plowed after streets are completed.
Salting and sanding begins as quickly as possible once plowing has started. Depending on temperature, we salt the hills, highways and downtown area and a sand/salt mixture is used on the rest of the streets. If all goes well, the majority of intersections should be sanded by 3 p.m.
Crews clean up and haul snow from the downtown business district and downtown lots the next working day. Sanding takes place as needed throughout the winter season.
Equipment used during a snow event consists of the following: Two motor graders with under body blades and side mount wings, four rubber tire end loaders with front plow and side mount wings, seven plow trucks with front plow and side mount wings and two plow trucks with front plow handle removal of snow from the streets.
One plow truck with a front plow, a skid-loader with a 10-foot bucket, a tractor backhoe and a small end loader owned by the Parks and Recreation work on downtown parking lots and alleys.
One skid-loader and a small tractor with a snow blower work on city sidewalks and crosswalks in the downtown area. The truck used to assist with plowing parking lots is also equipped with a sand/salt spreader and the city owns two trucks that are equipped with sand/salt spreaders.
City ordinance states that beginning Nov. 15 to March 31 no person should park or leave parked any vehicle on any street, alley or highway in the city for more than 30 minutes between 2 and 6 a.m.
An ordinance addresses snow removal restrictions. It reads, “No person clearing snow from driveways, parking lots, filling stations, garage entrances, or other large areas shall place such snow on the paved portion of any street or public ways, or on the property of another or on the public right of way adjacent to the property of another without consent of said property owner or in a manner as to block the vision of motorists at intersections, or create a traffic hazard.”
State law also prohibits pushing snow from private property onto or across public right of way.
Clearing snow from sidewalks is addressed by ordinance, too. The ordinance reads, “The owner or occupant of every premises fronting upon any street within the city shall keep the sidewalks in front of such premises reasonably clear of snow and ice and shall clear the snow from each sidewalk within 24 hours after each snowfall.”
If the owner or occupant fails to clear the snow and ice as required, the city building inspector can order the snow be removed. The cost of doing that is assessed as a special tax.
Removal of snow from the end of driveways and from in front of mailboxes is the responsibility of the property owner. This becomes more of an issue as the winter progresses and streets get narrower.
The city’s equipment, no matter how big, can only push snow so far, so wide and so high. As the winter progresses the issue becomes worse.
If city equipment hits your mailbox, the city has a policy stating the city will pay the property owner up to $50 upon receipt of a new mailbox being installed. Installation will be the property owners’ responsibility.
If the mailbox is damaged by snow from a passing plow, repairs shall be the property owners’ responsibility with no reimbursement. When city staff helps with temporary repair, it will be only with standard mailboxes. The city is not be responsible for any newspaper tube replacement.
As the leaves fall and cool breezes bring us closer to the winter season, we all know what lies ahead. Common sense and planning on everyone’s part should make for a safe winter.
Give yourself a little extra time when traveling. Slow down when driving conditions are not the best. Give snow equipment plow operators plenty of room to do their job.
Chippewa Falls residents may call the City of Chippewa Falls at 723-4151 with any snow removal questions, concerns or complaints.
Glen Zwiefelhofer is the Street Superintendent for the City of Chippewa Falls.
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