February 2001 Richmond Hill Post Article
date posted: 2001-02-01
This winter has been an unusual one as we experienced a series of heavy snowfalls in early December followed by an extended period of very cold temperatures. Town staff and contractors have worked very hard to try to keep up but it is fair to say that Mother Nature has held the upper hand. Thanks to the assistance of the Engineering & Public Works Department, the following information on snowfalls and snow removal may be of interest to you.
- Over 75 cm (30 inches) of snow fell in December 2000; this is more than twice the 40 year average for the month and approximately half of what we receive, typically, in an entire winter.
- The Town spends approximately $1,000,000 on snow clearing annually. This translates to about $25 per household, applying the average assessed value of $250,000.
- After a major snowfall (or, more often, during the event) the Town deploys 19 plows to clear 445 km of local roads that include 620 cul-de-sacs. 10 loaders are assigned to clear the bulbs on cul-de-sacs and knuckles on crescents.
- Through a program targeting seniors and people with disabilities, the Town clears driveway windrows (from road plowing) at approximately 600 residential dwellings.
- Snow Plowing priorities are:
1. main thoroughfares and hospital routes
2. school routes, business areas (transit routes) and steeply graded roads
3. local streets that do not provide through traffic (i.e. cul-de-sacs)
4. laneways
- The target is to complete these priorities within 12 hours after the snowfall has stopped. Longer time frames (up to 48 hours) apply to lesser priorities such as driveway windrow clearing.
- December's snowfalls were particularly difficult as high winds and drifting snow kept plows on priority routes longer than usual.
- Road plowing precedes sidewalk clearing to minimize the number of locations where the road plow windrow will obstruct a sidewalk at a crossing. We cannot, however, control Regional road plows and, more significantly, private driveway contractors - both of which frequently deposit snow that obstructs sidewalks.
- During major snowstorms, over 1,000 calls a day were received at our Operations Center (884-8013). The usual volume is around 250. Calls are important to us since they are the most practical and effective way of our learning of obstructed walkways, roads, etc. We have modified our information line (771-2525), and we encourage citizens to leave messages voicing their concerns at this number.
I hope this information is useful and helps everyone understand the snow clearing operation in the Town.