Snow Removal Priorities
New Albany’s snow removal priorities begin with clearing highways and our most highly traveled roadways and streets, also known as arterial roads. Emergency travel for fire, emergency medical and police personnel is the highest snow removal priority. The second priority is to clear roads around schools and to facilitate traffic moving in and out of the city by clearing collector roads which carry traffic into and out of subdivisions. Courts, alleys and other subdivision residential streets are cleared last, as they carry the lowest amount of traffic. The number of trucks assigned and the plan implemented during any given storm is dependent on the severity of the event.
The top two priorities illustrate why main roads are salted and/or plowed before subdivisions are cleared. If subdivisions were cleared first, emergency vehicles would still not have efficient access to homes because the main roads would not have been cleared.
Salt Spreading and Snow Plowing Procedures Snow plowing is not productive until snow fall reaches a depth of approximately two inches. Prior to plowing, crews will spread deicers, liquid and/or granular, in an attempt to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. Initially, when used, salt is spread on arterial and collector roads. This will melt the first amount of fallen snow and reduce the build-up of frozen material at the pavement surface. Once these roads are under control then residential street clearing will begin.
If accumulations exceed two inches crews will begin plowing as they spread deicers. During intense storms the spreading of deicers will be discontinued and crews will plow until such time as snowfall stops.
As the last step in the cleanup from a storm, the area of the street adjacent to the gutter will be plowed back. This is done to allow melting materials to run off and ultimately reach the gutter. This will lessen the amount of icy patches that happen during evening refreezing.
At the end of each snow event, crews strive to have every New Albany road cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours.
Snow Shoveling Tips Residents and businesses are reminded that they are responsible for clearing their walkways. The New Albany Public Service Department recommends shoveling snow away from the street so that snow is less likely to get pushed back onto the driveway or sidewalk by a passing snowplow. This should be done by piling snow to the right side of the driveway (on two-way streets). This allows snowplows to reach the snow pile after it passes the driveway. Keep in mind that for the postal service to maintain mail delivery, you must clear the snow in front of your mailbox for their access.
Be Patient Patience is a virtue when traveling in snow storms. Motorists need to give themselves more time to drive to their destinations, not follow salt and plow trucks too closely, and not attempt to pass salt trucks. If these simple steps are followed, motorists stand a greater chance of getting to their destination safely.
