Snow Program

STATISTICS ON EQUIPMENT, LABOR, AND COSTS

   Population: 26,054 Miles of Streets: 141

Annual snow fall average: 42 in.  Number of plow routes: 17  Number of salting routes: 17  Number of sidewalk crews: 4

Hours to place initial treatment down: 2  Hours to plow a route once: 6

Hours after snow stops to completely clean up: 8-11

Number of full time employees available (including supervisors): 38  Cost of one dump truck fully equipped for snow duty: $230,000  Cost/Ton Salt: $94.83

Tons of Treated Salt used: 2500

   Cost per hour to fund a full snow removal operation on overtime: $2,550.00

Human Services: 860-648-6361

Parks Department: 860-648-6366

Police Department: 860-644-2551

Public Works Leaf Hotline: 860-648-6371

Street Services: 860-648-6366

Town Hall Offices: 860-644-2511

Tree Warden: 860-648-6366

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Why is snow pushed into my driveway by street plows?

A: It is unavoidable.  We know of no other communities that can afford to remove snow from the driveways of residents.  It would cost tens of thousands of dollars to provide such service.  Please wait until plowing operations are complete before clearing your driveway.

Q: Can I, as a resident, push snow from my property onto the side walk or street?

A: No.  Town Ordinance restricts the act of pushing snow back onto a street.  Not only is this a violation of Town Laws, but may bring a fine of $75.00 and/or the liability if an accident is caused by this dumping of snow.  Please be respectful of passing motorists expecting a clear street by not putting snow back onto the street.  Remember, you are responsible for your contractor.

Q: Do some streets get more of a priority during a snow storm?

A: Yes.  During certain high volume traffic hours, it is imperative to keep the traffic moving on arterial and connector streets.

Q: Can I park my car on the street during winter months?

A: Overnight parking is not allowed between November 15 and April 15.  Vehicles in violation may be ticketed with a $29.00 fine.  No vehicle shall be parked on a public street during a snow or ice storm which has been in progress for one hour or more.  Contact will be made with the owner for removal of the vehicle.  If no contact can be made, the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense.

Q: Does the Town really need a Parking Ban Ordinance for snow removal?

A: Yes.  Snow must be pushed back to the curb to allow for adequate travel lanes and keep the gutter and storm drains free so water will flow during thaws.  This can only be accomplished when no vehicles are parked on the street during storms.  All snow left under parked cars freezes in place and causes slipping dangers to unsuspecting motorists.

A: Our operators are instructed to plow at speeds between 10 and 20 MPH and sometimes slower depending on snow conditions.  Wet slushy snow may be thrown 10 to 15 feet from the road.  If you believe speeds are in excess of safe conditions, please contact us, giving us the locations, description of vehicle and the time.  We will investigate accordingly; all Town vehicles are equipped with GPS.

Q: What should I do if a snow plow damages my property?

A: Please contact the Street Department at 860-648-6366 as soon as possible with a date, time, and nature of damage.  We will investigate and report back to you.  This phone is open during storms, and on Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Q: Do sidewalks receive the same priority as streets?

A: No.  Only sidewalks servicing public buildings that are open are kept clear during storms.  All other municipally maintained walks are done after the storms passes on the next scheduled work day

Q: Where should I call if I have a question or complaint?

A: We would ask that all calls be made Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at 860-648-6366.  If you feel there is an emergency that cannot wait, call the Police Department at 860-644-2551, who will contact the Department of Public Works.  If you wish, you may send a letter to the Department of Public Works, 1540 Sullivan Avenue, South Windsor, CT 06074.

Q: Nobody walks on my sidewalk during the winter.  Do I really have to keep it clean?

A: Yes! Town Ordinance 6-501 states that the owner or occupant of a premises bordering any street where there is an established sidewalk must remove all snow and ice within 24 hours.  If it is impractical to remove the snow or ice, the sidewalk shall be made safe by covering with sand or other suitable material. Failure to comply with this statute may result in a $75.00 fine.

SNOW CONDITIONS

One only has to shovel a driveway a few times to see that snow has different weights and compaction properties, depending on moisture content.  A rule of thumb is that a 10 inch accumulation of dry, fluffy snow is easier to handle than 5 inches of heavy, wet snow.  Wet snow is followed by more frequent icing and compaction problems, resulting in more sanding operations and equipment fatigue.  There is nothing worse than wet snow followed by a hard freeze.

SNOW TIMING

If snow begins in the evening and tapers off by morning, snow crews have time to prepare for morning rush hour traffic.  However, if the storm starts in the early morning or near 3:00 in the afternoon, motorists need to use extra caution until crews are able to treat the streets.

STORM DURATION

The faster a storm comes and leaves, the better.  Three inches of snow in 24 hours costs twice as much to clear as six inches of snow in eight hours.

(Blizzard Charolette, 2013)

Storms of extended duration severely tax the resources to keep roads open for prolonged periods of time.

WINTER STORM WATCH:  Alerts to possible severe winter weather (blizzard, ice storm, heavy snow, or heavy sleet)

       WINTER STORM WARNING:  Severe winter weather is imminent.

Mailbox Survival

Snow thrown against a mailbox is often sufficient to cause damage to a less than perfect installation.

Moisture content of the snow varies between storms; the higher the moisture content the heavier the snow will be.

You may wish to experiment by filling a recycling box with snow from somewhere on your lawn and note how heavy it feels. Then empty it and refill it with the slushy snow from the end of your driveway.  You may need help to lift it.  This snow, mixed with the snow melt caused by salt and traffic, may be ten or more times as heavy.

Help Us Help You

• See installation guide (opposite page)
• Inspect your mailbox post for age cracks, dry rot, deterioration at the bottom where the post goes into the ground.  Posts with cracks, dry rot, or deterioration at the bottom are likely to fail when wet snow hits them.
• Check the attachment hardware.  Rusty nails or screws eventually fail. Use long enough screws to ensure the box and its support arm are secure.
• Lubricate the hinge points on the mailbox door.  Constant opening and closing of a mailbox door with rusty hinge points cause the pivot holes to enlarge and the heads of the pins (rivets) to pull through allowing the door to come off.
• Keep the mailbox door closed.
• Keep in mind that the larger the mailbox the more square inches of area are exposed to the force of the snow.  A larger more sturdy post and mount are needed to support the load.
• If purchasing a new post, purchase one that is of a dense pressure treated wood. If you pick one up and it does not feel “heavy”, pass it by.  It will deteriorate quickly.
• Decorative posts turned on a lathe to make them round in places reduces the strength of the post.  They will not withstand the twisting torque motion caused by snow hitting the side of the mailbox.  The damage caused is usually a split along the grain of the wood starting at the support arm or at one of the narrowest points
• If the Town of South Windsor damages a mailbox during snow removal operations, the Public Works Department will decide to either replace or repair the mailbox.  All costs associated with repair or replacement shall not exceed $75.00.  If you mailbox has been damaged please call 860-648-6366 to report it the day after the storm.
• Mailboxes that are knocked over by heavy, wet snow where no contact with the plow has occurred and where they have not been maintained or adequately mounted or braced will not be repaired by the Town.  Also, mailboxes damaged by private contractors, homeowners clearing snow, errant drivers, etc., will not be fixed by the Town.

All claims for damages, reimbursement, or repairs for mailboxes must be made no later than May 1st after the winter season.  Any claims made after May 1st will not be considered.

Note that the cutting edge of the plow is 6 inches from the curb. The plow top corner is only 3 inches from mail box. Keep the front of mailbox at least 6 inches back from face of curb. The plow height is 42 inches above the pavement. The bottom of mailbox should be 42 inches minimum above the curb.

When it becomes necessary to get snow up over snow banks tapered mold board plows are used. These plows are 56 inches above the pavement and discharge snow directly toward the height of the mailbox.

Snow pushed by any plow, even at slow speed, may exert sufficient force to damage a weakened mailbox and/or post.

Keep mailbox doors closed. A most common problem is missing doors.

TEAM APPROACH

Snow and ice control is a team effort. The Street Services and Fleet Maintenance Divisions of Public Works and the Parks Division of Parks and Recreation provide the first line response to winter storm events.

Back up crew members are provided as needed by our hired contractor, and if necessary, the Pollution Control and Building Maintenance Divisions.

Police Services provide valuable information about street conditions and also assist by advising residents about parking bans, not discharging snow into public streets and removal of stalled or parked vehicles obstructing snow control operations.

PEOPLE MAKE IT WORK

Our employees are always striving to improve the procedures and skills to anticipate and handle all that winter in Connecticut can dish out.  Our snow plow operators have distinguished themselves by their many successes in major training event competitions.  Members of the Street Division have trained numerous Towns all over our State on how to properly calibrate salt or sand spreading equipment.  South Windsor leads by example.  We were the first Town in the State to track salt usage by purchasing computerized equipment capable of weighing the salt and the software to track it.  You can’t manage it if you don’t measure it.  Many Towns are now in the process of acquiring the same equipment that we actually helped to develop with a private company which was custom tailored in design to manage road salt.  You can be as proud as I am of the skill and professionalism that all of our employees have represented the Town of South Windsor.  They are dedicated to maintaining the streets and sidewalks during the many long and difficult storms and are away from their families for some extended periods.

HELP US HELP YOU

• Please do not leave your vehicle on the street during snow or ice storms.
• Please limit travel to trips that are absolutely necessary.
• Please do not place snow into streets.  Remember, you are responsible for your contractor’s actions.
• Please refrain from skiing or snowmobiling on snow covered streets.
• Please keep a safe, minimum distance of 50 feet back from snow control vehicles.
• Adopt a Fire Hydrant nearest your house.  The Hydrant is there for your protection.  It may be several days after a storm before they can all be cleared.
• Please keep your mailbox 42” above the curb and slightly back from the edge of pavement and keep the post and hardware in good repair.
• Please remove all basketball hoops for the winter months to prevent damage to equipment and reduce liability.
• Keep trash and recycling bins at the edge of the driveway NOT in the roadway.

THE PLAN

Public Works crews will respond one to two hours before it is predicted to sleet or snow.

Initial response will consist of salting crews to initiate a Town wide salting operation.

All streets will usually be treated before the start of the storm, salting will continue as needed throughout the storm event.

Plows will be used when snow accumulation approaches two inches, unless weather predictions indicate severe cold weather and freezing rain.  Under these conditions snow will be left on the street until we are certain icing will not be a problem.  All streets will be kept open one pass in each direction until the storm has passed.  Then crews will push back to the curb.  This final phase should be completed within approximately ten to 12 hours after the storm has passed.

SAND/SALT

SAND/SALT is available at the Public Works Garage on Burgess Road for use by residents.  There is a small pile of sand/salt mixture next to the salt shed located on Burgess Road.  A sign in front of the material will let you know you are in the right location.  Residents must bring their own containers.  It is available for residents 24 hours a day.  Staff are instructed not to load private trucks or other vehicles with sand.

Businesses should make their own arrangements to care for their properties.

SOME WINTER TIPS

Put good snow tires on your car and keep a shovel in your trunk.  Drive courteously according to road conditions and watch out for the safety of pedestrians.

Pay close attention to weather forecasts.

Keep trash cans and recycling containers out of harms way.  Storm conditions usually have high wind that can toss cans into the road.  Keep hands out of snow blowers.

Deposit snow to right (facing road) side of the driveway to prevent it from being pushed back into the driveway.

Clean walks after the final pass of the plows.

The winter snow season is always full of surprises. Public Works crews do their best to anticipate and deal with these surprises by gathering storm information each year and applying the knowledge gained from reviewing this information to snow fighting procedures.

Our winter season information booklet is designed to aid you in understanding the overall winter storm attack plan. It is not an absolute or precise recipe as changing conditions (snow timing, storm duration, temperature, moisture content, etc.) will dictate the response for particular storm conditions.

It is our hope that many of your questions about our winter operations will be answered from within these pages. However, if you have further questions about our program, or wish to suggest information to be included in future information booklets, please call the Department of Public Works at 860-648-6366 between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or write to the Department of Public Works at 1540 Sullivan Avenue, South Windsor, CT  06074.

Sincerely,

Marco Mucciacciaro, Superintendent of Street Services
E-mail:  Marco.Mucciacciaro@southwindsor-ct.gov

South Windsor Public Works Department
Street Services Division
157 Burgess Road
South Windsor, Connecticut  06074