Snow Policy and Procedures
Plan A: Snow and Ice Treatment
As soon as snow begins to lay or ice begins to form on the streets, creating hazardous driving conditions, the City of Winchester will:
- Place Snow Plan A into effect and
- Begin treating the roadways as necessary, in accordance to the route schedule.
During Show Plan A:
- Use caution
- Drive only when necessary with snow tires or chains (recommended)
- Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice
Plan B: Plowing
When it becomes necessary to plow snow:
- Snow Plan B will be placed into effect and
- The Public Works Department and City contractors will plow roadways when necessary in accordance to the route schedule
Plan C: Snow Removal
When it becomes necessary to remove snow:
- Snow plan C will be placed into effect and
- City Police close parking lots and parking on all city streets where snow is to be removed
During Snow Plan B & C:
- Use caution
- Drive only when necessary with snow tires or chains (required)
- Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice
- Do not park along designated snow emergency routes
Operating Motor Vehicles During Snow Emergencies
When Snow Plan B or C is in effect, it shall be unlawful for any person to:
- Operate a motor vehicle which is not equipped with effective tire chains or snow treads on any of the streets or alleys within the city
- Park or abandon a vehicle on any snow emergency route
- Obstruct or impede traffic on any show emergency route when such vehicle is not equipped with effective snow tires or chains
The City of Winchester Police Department shall authorize immediate removal and storage, at the owners expense, of any vehicle that is parked, stalled or abandoned on any show emergency route (City Ordinance, Section 14-33).
Removing Snow and Ice from Sidewalks
Property owners and occupants are responsible for clearing sidewalks of snow and ice, if in daytime, within 2 hours after snow or sleet has ceased to fall and, if in nighttime, by 9:00 am on the day succeeding (City Ordinance, Section 26-15).
TIP: Preventing Ice
Use ice melt on your driveway entrance and sidewalks early and often to prevent snow packing down and forming into ice. An ice melter with Calcium Chloride or Potassium Chloride is better for the environment and only requires a small amount to melt ice. Please avoid rock salt or Sodium Chloride which can kill plants and trees.
Clearing Your Driveway
As applying chemicals and plowing are difficult operations to perform, residents are asked to park in their driveways when snow is anticipated rather than on the street, where possible. This will allow operations to be performed in a more safe and time-effective manner. Please keep in mind that it is nearly impossible to keep snow from being deposited at your driveway entrance during plowing, as the plow can not be lifted or stopped at each driveway.
Residents are asked to try to wait until plow equipment has come through before clearing your driveway. But if you have already shoveled or plowed your driveway before the street is plowed, clear an area to the left of the driveway entrance (standing in the driveway facing the street). When your street is plowed, the snow from the plow can be unloaded in this area instead of your driveway entrance. This helpful tip may minimize the amount of snow left in front of your driveway.
When shoveling or plowing snow from your driveway, please do not dump snow into the street. This only slows the plowing operation and if dumped snow left in the street freezes, it can create a hazardous situation.
Applying Chemicals and Plowing
There are two aspects to a snow operation:
- Applying chemicals and
- Plowing
When roads start to freeze from falling precipitation, chemicals will begin being applied to priority roads and continue until all roads are complete or until it is no longer effective to apply chemicals, due to the depth of the snow. The more traffic on the roads, the more effective the chemicals. As a result, sometimes residential streets with small amounts of traffic may appear as not to have been treated.
Please keep in mind that as the temperature drops, the chemicals become less effective. Once the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, chemicals become ineffective. If a snowfall accumulates and plowing is required, applying chemicals operations cease. When the snow stops and the final plowing has been accomplished on all roads, chemicals are again spread on all the roads. All roads are monitored for icy spots and chemicals are re-applied where dangerous.
Why Some Roads are Cleared Before Others
As snow begins to accumulate, the City of Winchester concentrates on certain roads (Amherst Street, Berryville Avenue, Pleasant Valley Road, and Valley Avenue). These roads are focused on first because of the significance (i.e. hospital route). As the snow keeps falling, the City's first priority is to keep the main roads open and passable. As soon as all major streets within the city are clear, equipment is immediately moved into residential areas.
The City of Winchester requests that residents please be patient during snow operations. Snow removal is a difficult and time consuming task. Please try to limit road travel during and immediately following a snowfall unless absolutely necessary. The less traffic on the roads during snow clearing operations, the more effective the job can be performed.