Department Guide
Snow Removal
Winter operations standards for safe, efficient, and cost-effective snow and ice control.
Overview
Winter operations require more advance planning per operational hour than almost any other public works function. Equipment readiness, material stockpiles, staffing plans, and route assignments must all be in place before the first flake falls.
Pre-Season Preparation
- Equipment inspection and readiness checklist (September)
- Salt and sand inventory targets by storm probability model
- Driver training and route familiarization drives
- Anti-icing and liquid application program development
- On-call staffing schedules and call-out protocols
Operational Standards
- Route priority classifications (arterial, collector, residential, cul-de-sac)
- Service level standards — hours to first bare pavement by route class
- Anti-icing vs deicing decision matrix based on pavement temperatures
- Material application rate standards (liquid and granular)
After-Action Reviews
Every significant storm event should result in a brief after-action review covering response times against standards, equipment issues encountered, material consumption vs estimates, and lessons learned for the next event.
Equipment Ready List
Annual pre-season inspection checklist for all winter equipment
Material Inventory
Seasonal salt and sand targets with re-order triggers
Route Priority Map
Published route priority map accessible to all drivers
Service Standards
Written bare-pavement time standards by route class
Staffing Plan
On-call rotation and call-out decision tree
After-Action Template
Standard storm after-action review format