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Snow & Ice Control Policy
SECTIONS:
- PURPOSE
- LEVEL OF
SERVICE
- SEQUENCE OF
SERVICE
- LIMITATIONS
OF SERVICE
- EMERGENCY
CONDITIONS
Sec. 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish this County’s policy
and level of service in respect to clearance of snow or ice and maintenance
of its secondary road system during the winter months, as provided in HF
2487, Section 10 (2), Acts of the 63rd G.A., Second Session, and
pursuant to the provisions of Section 309.67, Code of Iowa. This policy and level of service are to be
implemented within the amount of money budgeted for this service, and as
contained in this County’s Secondary Road budget as submitted to and approved
by the Iowa Department of Transportation and adopted by the Board of
Supervisors.
Sec. 2. LEVEL OF SERVICE
Clearance of snow or ice and maintenance of the Secondary Road
system during the winter months is primarily for the benefit of the local
residents of this County. Each storm
has individual characteristics and must be dealt with accordingly. The portion of the roadway improved for
travel will have upon it snow and ice in a compacted condition. These conditions may be continuous, or they
may be more concentrated on hills, in valleys, curves, and/or
intersections. The County’s existing
snow removal equipment will be utilized for this purpose. All clearance of snow and ice, sanding,
salting, and other maintenance respecting winter conditions shall be
accomplished within the amount of money budgeted for this service. The entire
width of that portion of the road improved for travel may not be cleared of
snow, ice, compacted snow and ice, or frost.
Snow cleared from the part of the roadway improved for travel shall be
placed on or in the adjacent shoulder, ditch, or right-of-way. Snow can be expected to accumulate adjacent
to the traveled portion to the extent that a motorist’s sight distance to
both the left and right may be greatly reduced or impaired. The snow removal from intersections will be
piled in its corners in piles of unequal height. The line of sight, sight distance, or
visibility of motorists approaching these intersections may be greatly
reduced or impaired. The County shall
not be responsible for snow pushed or otherwise placed on the roadway or
shoulder by others. Motorists shall
drive their vehicles during these conditions with additional caution and
watchfulness, especially in respect to the surface of the roadway, and
reduced or impaired visibility, and are advised to reduce their speed at
least 25 miles per hour below that legally permitted or advised under normal
conditions. In respect to roadways
that have only one lane open, further extreme watchfulness and caution should
be exercised by the motorist, and their speed should not exceed 10 miles per
hour. During these conditions no
additional warning or regulatory signs will be placed that warn of impaired
sight distances, visibility at intersections, road blockages, one-lane
conditions, or that the road surface is slick or slippery, or what the
advised speed should be.
Sec. 3. SEQUENCE OF SERVICE
In the implementation of snow and ice removal and other
maintenance of the county’s Secondary Road system during the winter months,
the County Engineer shall select the actual sequence of roads to be cleared
as provided for in this Section of this Ordinance, and shall determine when
drifting, wind velocity, and additional snow or snowstorms require that the
snow removal equipment be removed from the roadway, or that additional
clearance of paved routes be accomplished prior to the clearance of gravel
and dirt roads. The County Engineer’s
professional judgment shall prevail unless it is clearly erroneous.
A.
Paved routes
1. The initial effort
will be to get all routes open to two-lane traffic as soon as possible. As roads are being plowed, intersections,
hills and curves may have placed on them, salt, sand, and other abrasives.
2. After
two-lane travel is possible, subsequent snow removal will be carried on during
normal working hours.
3. The
truck mounted snow plows and spreaders will not normally be in operation
between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The trucks may be called off the
road if snow and/or blowing snow reduces the visibility to hazardous working
conditions, in the professional judgment of the engineer or his delegated
representative.
4. When
required, due to drifting snow, motor graders may be used to keep the paved
roads open and the opening of gravel roads may be delayed.
5. It is not the policy of the
county to provide a “dry” pavement condition.
6. After
roads have been plowed as provided in this section, the remaining portions
may have placed on them, salt, sand or other abrasives. The intersections, hills, and curves may be
resalted, resanded or have other abrasives replaced on them between
snowstorms.
7. Salting,
sanding or placing other abrasives upon roads due to freezing precipitation
may occur during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
B.
Unpaved roads
1. The
initial effort will be to get all routes opened to one-lane traffic as soon
as possible after a storm has passed.
2. After
one-lane travel is possible, subsequent snow removal will be carried on
during the normal working hours.
3. Motor
graders and/or truck plows will not normally be in operation between the
hours of 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
Gravel roads may not be plowed if the wind is causing continual
drifting.
4. Snow may not be removed from
roads designated at Level B.
5. The
placing of salt, sand or other abrasives upon roads due to freezing
precipitation will not normally be performed.
C. Private
drives
The County will not clear snow from
private drives. Normal snow removal
operations may result in snow being deposited in private drives. Snow from private drives shall not be
placed on the roadway or shoulders.
The County may replace or repair mailboxes destroyed or damaged
during the snow or ice removal operations.
There is no time limit after a snowstorm in which any of the
above sequence of clearance, on paved or unpaved roads, shall take place.
Sec. 4. LIMITATION OF SERVICE
The policy and level of service provided for in this ordinance
shall not include the performance of the following services.
A.
Sanding, salting, or placing of other abrasives upon the roadway that
are slick,
slippery, and dangerous due to the
formation of frost.
B. Placing of additional
warning or regulatory signs warning of impaired sight
distances, visibility at intersections, road blockages, one-lane
conditions, or that the
road surface is slick or slippery, or what the advised speed should
be.
Sec. 5. EMERGENCY OF
CONDITIONS
A. The sequence of service may be suspended
during “Emergency” conditions. An “Emergency”
condition shall be considered as one where a loss of life is probable, where
a serious injury has occurred, or where extensive loss of property is
imminent. These conditions should be
verified through a physician’s or sheriff’s office. The County will respond
to all “Emergency” conditions, either during or after a snowstorm.
B.
The provisions of the Ordinance shall be further suspended in the event
the Governor, by proclamation,
implements the State disaster plan, or the Chairman of the Board of
Supervisors, by proclamation, implements the County disaster plan. If such occurs, the County personnel and
equipment shall be immediately subject to the direction of the Governor or
the Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors.
For more information contact
Lee County Engineers Office
933
Avenue H
Fort
Madison, Iowa 52627
Phone: 1-319- 372-2541
Fax: 1-319-372-8198
Lee
County Engineer
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