Key tips can help snow plow drivers and residents ‘weather the storms’
Before you know it, winter will be breathing its frigid breath into our lives again, and the Clayton Service Department has a few reminders for residents during this winter season.
The city plows over 220 lane miles of roadway with only 11 full-time employees. During a large event, managers utilize back-up drivers to provide required breaks. This results in five drivers per shift. Drivers concentrate on major roads first and transition to interior roads before finishing with cul-de-sacs. For example, Main Street has five lanes which normally requires six passes. After roads are plowed, the salt/liquid combination can be applied.
Neighborhood roads can be challenging at times because of parked cars, trash cans, basketball hoops and other objects in the road. Last year Clayton passed new legislation permitting the removal of parked vehicles from the road after 2 inches of snow. This replaces the former law which stated the limit was 3 inches.
Residents can assist crews by keeping all cars in driveways during major events (2 inches or more) and even stagger parking on streets if possible. When two cars are parked directly across from each other on a residential street, it becomes difficult to maneuver a 10-foot plow between them.
Rural roads have challenges such as wind-blown pavement, which is difficult to treat. These areas can’t be salted because drifting snow causes ice to build deeper. Be cautious when driving these areas because large areas of dry pavement are often followed by large areas of drifted snow and ice.
Don’t crowd the plow! Tailgating snow-plow drivers is dangerous due to frequent stops and changes of direction. Passing snowplows is also very dangerous because plows must clear centerlines first, and it does not allow drivers to make safe passes.
If you live on a cul-de-sac, please practice patience. The large trucks in the fleet don’t have the mobility to maneuver like small pick-up trucks that contractors use. There are limited areas in a cul-de-sac to place the plowed snow due to driveway and fire hydrant placements.
Drivers understand the frustration with cleaning driveways and having a city plow fill the end back up, but please do not push this snow back into the street. This could cause an accident and is against the law. If you stack the snow on the right side of the drive as you are facing the road, the driver will plow it away from your drive.