Ferguson Township - imageserv11.team-logic.com

1 Ferguson Township Snow Operations Plan 2014/2015 2 Ferguson Township Snow Operations Plan 2014/2015 Table of 2 3 3 Level of 3 Areas of 4 Winter Organizational 4 4 Before the 5 Call out Procedure and Quick 5 Snow 5 Salt and Anti-skid 6 Phase Diagram for 7 Stormfighting 8 9 Agreement to Plow State Highway(s).. 10 Township /Borough Street 10 Contract 10 11 11 Vehicles Parked on 12 800 mHz Radio Communication with 12 Radio 13 User Training 13 Special 14 Shared Use Paths (Bike paths).. 14 Parking 15 Media and 15 Attachments Winter Organizational Chart .. 18 Call Out 19 Road Plow Route 20-27 Bikepath Plow Route 28 3 Ferguson Township Snow Operations Plan 2014/2015 Introduction Snow fighting reduces the negative impacts of travel during the winter months.

2 Without snow fighting, vehicle crashes multiply, congestion causes lost work time, school closings and delays affect families, emergency operations are hampered, business suffer lost profits. Planning is one of the most essential parts of preparing for any emergency, including snow and ice removal. Following a plan will relieve much of the stress brought on by the task and provide guidance on appropriate procedures. The Township s snow removal operations have a good reputation with our residents, providing the best possible service as efficiently as can be expected. Providing safe travel for residents and those employed in the Centre Region is essential for the vibrant economic hub of the region.

3 Please carefully read this entire plan so you may be prepared when you are called for duty. Factors that affect the snow fighting operation include the amount of snow, rate of snow, duration of snowfall, timing of the storm, temperature, wind conditions, and type of precipitation (wet or dry snow, rain, sleet). Purpose The purpose of this plan is to provide direction to Ferguson Township Publics Works employees and contractors on winter operations and provide information to those residents and others interested in understanding our operations. Level of Service Roads and other areas of responsibility shall be reasonably cleared of snow and ice as efficiently as practical in accordance with this plan.

4 There is no expectation that roads will be bare and black at all times. Roads designated as snow emergency routes shall take precedence over other collector and arterial roads which shall take precedence over residential roads which shall take precedence over those shared use paths and sidewalks that are cleared by the Township . The following roads are designated as snow emergency routes: Snow Emergency Routes Blue Course Drive Circleville Road Pine Grove Road Science Park Road Valley Vista Drive Whitehall Road 4 Areas of Responsibility Include: Roads and roadside drainage: Township owned roads and such other roads by agreement as designated in this plan.

5 Shared use paths: Township owned shared use paths as designated in this plan. Not all shared use paths are cleared in the winter. See attachment. Sidewalks: Township owned sidewalks including a section of walkway along the south side of Bristol Avenue between College Avenue and Enterprise Drive, and crosswalks at signalized intersections. Parking Lot: Township Building parking lot located at 3147 Research Drive. The Township maintains miles of equivalent 2 lane roadway by in-house public works forces, miles of equivalent 2 lane roadway by contract forces, miles of 8 to 10 foot wide shared use (bike) paths by in-house public works forces. Winter Organizational Chart Snow fighting operations are conducted under the direction of the Road Superintendent under guidance and consultation with the Public Works Director.

6 2 Foremen report to the Road Superintendent and are in direct charge of the operation of the snow fighting teams. Road workers operate the snow fighting equipment and report directly to the foremen. A mechanic is on duty during day time operations and as needed during night time operations and reports to the Road Superintendent. See attached Winter Operations Organizational Chart. Statewide Emergency Declarations may be made by the Governor or the Secretary of Transportation. Any Township wide Emergency Declaration shall be made by the Township Manager on behalf of the Board of Supervisors. Citizen complaints during snow fighting operations should be directed to the Public Works Department Administrative Assistant.

7 Complaints that cannot be addressed by the Administrative Assistant should be directed to the Road Superintendent. Complaints not able to be addressed by the Road Superintendent follow the chain of command and should be directed to the Public Works Director. Safety The ultimate goal during any emergency is safety both the public s and yours! Your well-being is essential in the delivery of service. If you do not practice safety you cannot help others. You owe it to yourself to be safe ! In order to keep workers alert and safe , no person should work more than 14 continuous hours, and no person should operate a vehicle more than 11 hours during the 14 hour shift.

8 Upon working 14 hours, you will be given at least 10 hours off for rest. In addition, if a storm is pending, your assigned team may be sent home early on a normal workday in order to rest for the impending work. All personnel performing snow fighting operations shall first be properly trained in the use of equipment assigned to them. Documentation of training is the responsibility of the Road Superintendent. 5 All personnel performing snow fighting operations shall use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the task being performed. Drivers shall either load salt or anti-skid themselves or stay in the cab when being loaded. Keep steps clean.

9 Use 3 points of contact when climbing into and out of the cab. Block plow blades before changing blades. Disconnect spreaders before unclogging them. Before the Storm Prior to the first forecasted winter weather, the Road Superintendent shall be responsible to ensure that an adequate number of trucks are fitted with plows and spreaders and ready for operations, ensure that drivers are familiar with plow routes by instructing drivers to make dry runs, and ensure that delineators are installed as necessary to prevent damage to curb and mark headwalls and cross culverts, and ensure that there is an adequate supply of salt. This means that the road crew may need to interrupt leaf collection efforts to ensure they are ready for the first storm.

10 Call out Procedure and Quick Response Streets and roads should be plowed upon 2 of snowfall. Snow removal and anti-skid/deicing tasks are assigned to all Public Works personnel; therefore, all Public Works Department maintenance personnel are expected to be available when needed for snow work. Employees are expected to report to work in less than 2 hours from the call out time. In other words, if you are out and it begins to snow, you are expected to become available for work. The crew may be divided into two teams. A team Foreman will be assigned on a rotating basis as the primary call out point of contact. Winter operations include work on nights, weekends, and holidays.