3.4. SR 11-28-1994
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ITEM 3.4.
MEMORANDUM
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: PHIL HALS ~
DATE: NOVEMBER 17, 1994
SUBJECT: ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SNOW
PLOWING POLICY
November is traditionally the month for snow awareness. Members of the StreetIPark
Department have readied the equipment, individually made visual inspections of their plow
routes and made salt/sand supplies ready.
We will have six truck routes, one loader route and one sidewalk route. The ski grooming
and the snow hauling from the downtown area will be done on the day following the route
plowing. I will have maps available at the Council meeting.
e Some minor changes will probably be made after the new laborer is hired.
The Snow and Ice Control Policy, originally adopted on 1-7-91, has been modified slightly
to reflect some legal technicalities and has been sent to Peter Beck for review. Enclosed is
a copy for your information. I will be on hand Monday evening to answer any questions.
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P.O. Box 490 · 13065 Orono Parkway · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
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RESOLUTION 94 -
A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 1994-95 CITY OF ELK RIVER
SNOW AND ICE CONTROL POLICY
WHEREAS, the Elk River City Council formally adopted the City Snow
and Ice Control Policy on 1/7/91 and plans to annually review
and adopt the policy; and,
WHEREAS, the Elk River City Council has reviewed the City of Elk River
Snow and Ice Control Policy most recently in November,
1994.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Elk River that the City Snow and Ice Control Policy dated
11/28/94 is hereby adopted and approved as the appropriate
City procedures for snow and ice control.
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Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 28th day
of November, 1994.
Henry A. Duitsman, Mayor
ATTEST:
Sandra A. Thackeray, City Clerk
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REVISED 11/28/94
SNOW AND ICE CONTROL POLICY
Dvenini! Statement
Snow and ice are natural occurring elements in Elk River and this policy is a
guideline as to how the City of Elk River deals with these natural elements.
SNOW PLOWING
Guidelines for Commencement of Dverations
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Snow plowing and/or ice control operations will be initiated by the Street
Superintendent or his designated representative. Operation will begin when
two or more inches of snow has fallen. Plowing will begin as close as
practicable to the time when the snowfall ceases, however, every effort will be
made to have all priority routes plowed by morning rush hour. For storms of
an unusually long duration, priority routes will be plowed when
accumulation become hazardous for driving. Based on different storm
situations and severity levels, the starting times are flexible. During an
extremely heavy snowfall, priority routes will be plowed and all residential
routes will be plowed with at least one pass to allow emergency travel.
Following the storm, all streets will be replowed and widened to allow normal
vehicle usage.
Street Plowini! Priorities
Each of the six truck plows has a priority route that is plowed first (see map
Attachment "A") followed by a residential route. Sand and salt are applied
during the plowing operation and after plowing is completed.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks on the unmotorized pathway system are plowed concurrently with
the street plowing (see map Attachment "B") using City equipment.
Sidewalks are cleared of snow, but the City cannot remove packed snow and
ice build up. Sidewalks that are not plowed by the City must be cleared by
the property owners.
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Cul-de-Sacs
While some isolated cul-de-sacs are plowed immediately with the streets,
most are just "circled" by the truck plow and plowed completely at a later
time. When "circling", the truck makes one pass, usually in the clockwise
rotation, leaving the bulk of the snow in the center of the cul-de-sac and
opening all driveways. The cul-de-sac is plowed out completely by another
machine at a later time.
Snow Removal
The downtown area and several other locations must have the snow loaded
and trucked away because of lack of snow storage (see Attachment "C"). The
snow removal is normally accomplished within 48 hours of the completion of
snow plowing operations.
Ice Control & Sand/Salt Avvlication
First Priority - Priority routes, high volume intersections, hills, curves, and
railroad tracks.
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Second Priority - Stop intersections, moderate volume intersections.
Third Priority - Residential intersections.
Elk River, like most communities, does not have the equipment or resources
to sand all streets end to end, and during extremely cold weather, chemicals
are not responsive as ice melters. Drivers must use caution when operating a
motor vehicle, especially during winter months.
Roadside Mail Boxes
The City shall not assume liability for mailboxes damaged during
snowplowing operations unless the Street Department determines that a
plowing unit has made direct contact with the box. Mailboxes that are
damaged by contact with City equipment will be repaired by Street
Department personnel as soon as possible after plowing operations are
completed.
Sod Damaee
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Sod damaged by City plowing equipment will be repaired using one of two
procedures the following spring:
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1.
City Street Department will repair the damage using black dirt and
seed.
2. The property owner may elect to do the repair work using commercial
sod. The City will reimburse the property owner for the sod purchased,
not the labor. Said reimbursement must be approved by the City prior
to the property owner doing any corrective work or purchasing any sod.
Lawn Svrinkler Damaee
The City will not be responsible for damage to any underground lawn
sprinklers that are located on boulevards within the street right-of-way. It
shall be the responsibility of the homeowner to protect such systems from
damage or to relocate sprinkler heads within the homeowner's property lines.
Svecial Note
It is unlawful for anyone to deposit snow on a public right-of-way per
Minnesota Highway Traffic Regulations 160.27 Subd (5):
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Misdemeanors: It shall be unlawful to obstruct any public street or
highway or to deposit any snow or ice thereon; and,
169.42 Subd (1):
Litterin~: No person shall throw, deposit, place, or dump upon any
street or highway any snow, ice, etc.
Trash Containers
Since trash is collected five days per week, one or more routes encounter
trash containers while plowing. Plow operators will slow down and swerve
around trash containers, but often times just the snow windrow will knock
the container over.
Routes that are plowed on trash pickup day will have to be re-plowed after
other snow operations are completed to avoid frozen mounds of snow in the
road.
Residents are encouraged to leave their trash containers behind the curb line
on trash pickup day because plow operators will not stop to move containers
or set containers upright that have overturned.
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HAULING
ATTACHMENT C
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SNOW PLOWING OPERATION PROCEDURE
1993-94 Season
As a growing City, we have to make the best use of the
resources that we have available to provide the best service
possible for the residents of the City. This means that the
Street Department personnel will be assisted by members of two
other departments to help with snow removal on a regular
basis. We expect that a common goal and a spirit of
cooperation will be shared by the snow removal team.
The Street Department will furnish seven operators for the six
truck routes and one loader route; the Sewer Department will
furnish one operator for the sidewalk route and one operator
for the after hours sanding calls; the ski trail groomer will
be operated during the final hours of the snow plowing by one
of the Street Department operators.
Each operator has a priority route to plow first, followed by
the designated residential area.
Route 1
Priority Routes
197th to Tyler, Tyler from County Road 13 to County Road 33
Residential Route
Rural area east of Highway 169
Route 2
Priority Route
School Street, Dodge Avenue, Freeport, East Main Street
Residential Route
Area east of Jackson, South of 193rd and west of Twin Lakes
Road, north of 181st.
Route 3
Priority Route
West Main Street, Proctor Avenue
Residential Route
Residential area south of Highway 10 and west of Jackson.
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SNOW PLOWING OPERATION PROCEDURE
1994-95 Season
Each operator has a priority route to plow first, followed by the designated
residential area.
Route 1
Prioritv Route
197th Avenue from Highway 169 to Tyler Street, Tyler Street to County Road
13 to County Road 33; 165th from Highway 10 East; 173rd from Highway 10
East and Yale from Highway 10 West.
Residential Route
Rural area east of Highway 169
Route 2
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Priority Route
School Street, Dodge Avenue, Freeport Avenue, East Main Street, 193rd from
Highway 169 east.
Residential Route
Area east of Jackson Avenue, south of 193rd Avenue and west of Twin Lake
Road, north of 181st Avenue
Route 3
Priority Route
West Main Street, Proctor Avenue
Residential Route
Residential area south of Highway 10 and west of Jackson
Route 4
Priority Route
West School Street, North Jackson Avenue, Highland Road
Residential Route
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Page 2
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Route 5
Priority Route
Industrial Park, Jackson Avenue south of School Street, Railroad Drive and
3rd Street
Residential Route
Area north of Highway 10, west of County Road 1
Route 6
Priority Route
Gary Street, Orono Road, Orono Parkway
Residential Route
Moldenhauer Addition, Riverview Heights, Pinewood Addition, Heritage
Landing, Mississippi Oaks, Country Crossings
Route 7 (loader)
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Priority Route
Fire Hall, City Hall/Police Station, and Nursing Home
Residential Route
Eleven parking lots, two alleys and fifteen cul-de-sacs
Route 8 (sidewalk)
Designated nonmotorized pathways, one hockey rink and one skating rink
The "early shift", where two operators start work at 6:00 a.m. each working
day, will start November 30, 1994, and continue until March 25, 1995, with
the operators starting early on a rotating schedule. It will be the
responsibility of the early shift to check the priority routes, City Hall, Fire
Station, the downtown parking lots, and with the Police Officer on duty for
areas that may require sanding.
The two persons scheduled for the early start on Monday will be responsible
for the department call outs on the preceding weekend. That means that
they will be responsible for taking the pager home with them on Friday
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Page 3
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Normal plowing operations will be set up by the Street Superintendent or his
designee. Start times will vary according to the depth of the snow and the
severity of the storm. Each operator will be responsible for his assigned
route. As routes are completed, equipment will be assigned to help finish
other routes. With an "average" snowfall of 4" to 6", it is our goal to have all
streets and cul-de-sacs plowed in 8 to 12 hours. Sand/salt will be applied
during and immediately following plowing operations with special attention
given to priority routes, high volume intersections, hills, curves, and railroad
crossings. We do not have the resources to sand every street curb to curb,
end to end, so drivers must exercise caution during the winter season.
In the early morning hours of the day following our plowing operation, the
snow is hauled from the downtown area and several locations where
nonmotorized pathways are immediately behind the curb.
This operation requires the motor grader to windrow the snow, the loader
mounted snow blower to load it, and four or more trucks to haul the snow
away. The downtown clean up will be scheduled by the Street
Superintendent or his designee and will be coordinated with the contractor in
charge of cleaning the downtown sidewalks.
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Nonmotorized Pathwavs
The sidewalks that are designated as nonmotorized pathways will be plowed
at the same time as the street plowing. A member of the Street Department
will operate the sidewalk snowblower.
When the pathway system has been plowed, the snowblower will then clear
the skating and hockey rinks in Lion's Park.
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Page 4
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The "call out" procedure for after hours shall be as follows:
1. A citizen calls the Sheriffs Office complaining of a slippery street.
2. The Sheriffs dispatcher takes the person's name and phone number
and then notifies the police officer on duty.
3. The police officer on duty makes a visual inspection of the area in
question in a timely manner (not emergency).
4. If the police officer feels that salt/sand is needed for the safety of the
motoring public, the officer will have the Sheriffs dispatcher page the
Street Department person who is on call.
5. The "on call" person will then respond with salt/sand to the area in
question.
Plow Overator Instructions
To minimize damage to mailboxes, plowing speeds should not exceed 20
m.p.h. The City is responsible to repair or replace mailboxes that are
damaged by ACTUAL CONTACT with our equipment.
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Operators are not allowed to pull, push, or jump start private vehicles with
City equipment. They may offer sand, use of shovels, or call for help on the
two-way radio.
Each operator is responsible for the daily maintenance checks of the vehicle
he is operating. These checks include engine oil level, radiator level, fuel,
transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brakes, lights, and tires. Plows,
wings, and sanders should be checked after every use. Salt/sand should be
dumped and trucks and boxes washed after sanding operations are
completed. Fuel tanks should be at least 75 percent full when trucks are
parked. Keep equipment clean inside and out.
When Plowing DO
. Obey traffic laws
. Exercise care at intersections especially when plowing or sanding
. Respect curbs, do not let wings ride on top of the curb
. Report any damage to the Street Superintendent (mailboxes, signs,
shrubs, fences, equipment, etc.)
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When Plowing/Sanding DO NOT
. Intentionally push or dump snow in driveways
. Dump snow on fire hydrants
. Push or dump snow against fences
Page 5
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. Push or dump snow on shrubs
. Push snow back on boulevards at intersections (this can cause
visibility problems)
. Drive on lawns
IN CASE OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT
. Notify Police
. Call the Street Superintendent
. Remain at the scene to be of assistance until you are released by
the police or your supervisor
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