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COUNCIL Page 1 of 6
POLICY Effective Date February 13, 2012
Snow and Ice Control Policy
The purpose of this policy is to describe the manner in which snow and ice control will
be carried out.
1. POLICY STATEMENT
The Town of Oliver is responsible for the maintenance of public road rights-of-
way within the geographical boundaries of the Town. Part of this maintenance
responsibility involves snow and ice control which is undertaken to provide for
vehicular and pedestrian access on roads, sidewalks, the airport and some
parking areas at Town owned public facilities on a priority basis.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this policy are:
a) To provide vehicular and pedestrian traffic with adequate mobility under
prevailing winter conditions within the Town’s financial resources.
b) To prevent or reduce accidents or injuries due to winter conditions.
c) To provide for the operation of emergency services and transit.
d) To ensure that Town owned parking lots do not become impassable.
3. DEFINITIONS
In this policy,
"DE-ICER" means the chemical agent that the Town of Oliver uses to control
build-up of snow or ice on roads..
"DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS" means the Director of Operations or his
approved designate.
"DRAINAGE PROBLEM" means problems caused by accumulated or running
snow melt water.
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"ICE CONTROL" means the control or the buildup of packed snow or ice
through the use of equipment, Sanding and/or De-icing.
“OPENED,” means the ploughing of snow from the driving lanes to the side.
"SANDING" means the application, by mechanical spreaders, of treated sand or
small granular material to improve traction.
“SIDEWALK” means the hard surface designed and constructed for and
normally used by pedestrian traffic within the road right of way, excluding
multi-use paths.
“SNOW DUMP” means a pre-approved location for the dumping and storage of
hauled snow.
“SNOW LOADING AND HAULING” means the removal of snow from Town
roads, parking lots, lanes and sidewalks by loading the snow from windrows
onto trucks and hauling the snow to Snow Dump sites.
"SNOW PLOUGHING" means the ploughing of snow into windrows on Town
roads and lanes. Storage areas can be on centre medians, boulevards, adjacent to
the curb or sidewalk and at the edge of back lanes or Town owned properties.
"SNOW AND ICE CONTROL" means all operations associated with Snow
Ploughing, Snow Loading, Snow Hauling, and Ice Control.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TOWN OF OLIVER
Council Shall:
a) Set and adopt the Snow Removal Budget; and
b) Set policy on the levels of service from time to time.
The Director of Operations shall ensure the implementation of the Snow and Ice
Control Policy by:
a) Determining when and how to initiate and perform Snow and Ice Control
operations.
b) Allocating and scheduling Works and Operations resources.
c) Obtaining, allocating and scheduling privately held resources.
d) Addressing Public concerns.
e) Managing the Budget.
f) Review policy annually with crew.
g) Assure all equipment is in good working condition for the season.
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The Public Works employees shall operate the Town of Oliver owned equipment
to carry out Snow and Ice Control in accordance with the Snow and Ice Control
Policy and in accordance with the instructions of the Director of Operations or
designate whenever possible.
5. ROADWAY PRIORITIES AND STANDARDS
The Town of Oliver operates with a budgeted amount of funds, which are
required for a number of purposes. The Town, in establishing the Snow and Ice
Control Policy, must take into consideration its financial resources and its
personnel. Priorities are established to provide the greatest benefit to the
majority of the traveling public. In setting priorities, consideration is given to
criteria such as: Traffic Volume, Road Classification, Road Geometrics, Terrain,
Emergency Services, Drift Exposure, and Drainage Problems.
The Town of Oliver has set priority ratings as defined in Schedule ‘A’ attached
hereto and forming part of this policy. When necessary, for reasons of safety, at
the discretion of the Director of Operations or his designate, the order of priority
for the provision of the required services may be altered.
The following Town resources will be used for Snow and Ice Control:
a) Two plowing/sanding trucks
b) One de-icing truck with blade
c) One sidewalk plow
d) One backhoe
For effective snow and ice control, and when warranted, Town snow removal
will commence at 5:00 am.
The regular staffing for the operation of the equipment is based on an eight-hour
day, five days per week basis. Staffing costs for the operation of equipment
beyond these times are paid at premium rates. When possible, the Director of
Operations will take the necessary measures to reduce the hours of service paid
at premium rates.
6. SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL FOR ROADS, TOWN OF OLIVER OWNED PARKING LOTS,
OLIVER AIRPORT AND LANES
Dependent on the weather conditions, the Director of Operations or his designate
will determine resources to be used for removal of snow and ice within the
Town, and more specifically, in accordance with the following sub-priorities:
a) Intersections with traffic lights, roads with steep grades.
b) Intersections and corners.
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c) Ice Control will NOT normally be undertaken mid-block.
In extenuating circumstances, the Town of Oliver has the authority to use the
services of a contractor to assist in snow and ice control.
Except where an air medi-vac is required, snow removal at the Oliver airport will
only be provided during a regularly scheduled shift once the priority locations
are in safe condition.
Generally, snow removal services in the lanes is not provided. Exceptions are:
a) The lanes immediately east and west of Main Street from Similkameen
Avenue to Hillcrest Avenue. These are treated as part of the downtown
core.
b) Paved lanes will be plowed and sanded as the need arises.
The Town of Oliver will not inspect or callout crews for removal of snow
deposited on the roadways by residents.
Excluding contracted work, town equipment and crews will not provide snow
and ice removal services on private property.
7. PLOWING AND SANDING OF SIDEWALKS
Excluding commercial businesses, subject to availability of crews and equipment,
the Town of Oliver will be responsible for bulk snow removal from public
sidewalks. As deemed necessary, the Town may perform this detailed snow
removal service and application of abrasives to most sidewalks, steps and steep
inclines.
As per Town of Oliver Traffic Bylaw 650, Part 6 Section 29
“The owner or occupier of any real property within the Town shall perform or arrange for
the performance of the following works on their property and on streets abutting their
property:
(c) where the property is a commercial property, remove any snow or ice from
adjacent sidewalks by not later than 10:00 am each day”
Commercial property owners are responsible for the removal of snow and ice
and the placement of abrasives to all adjacent sidewalks and stairs.
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8. THE PLACING OF SNOW WINDROWS
Snow Removal operations begin near the centre line and work towards the curb
or edges of the roadway. Crews will not open private driveway access blocked
by windrows.
9. REMOVAL SERVICE FROM MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE (MOTI)
The Town of Oliver crews will not perform snow and ice removal on access
roads within the jurisdiction of the MOTI.
10 HAULING OF SNOW
Hauling of snow shall be undertaken only in situations where lack of adequate
storage prohibits the reasonable movement of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.
A signage and traffic control strategy shall be implemented to ensure the safety
of the workers and the public.
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SCHEDULE ‘A’
PRIORITY TARGET AREAS FOR SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL
TARGET AREA PRIORITY
Main access routes, School Routes and High Risk Areas
(Steep Inclines)
1
Downtown Core and Fire Hall Apron 2
Town Building Parking Lots, Residential Streets and
Cul-de-sacs
3
Airport 4