15 Questions to Ask After a Winter Snow Event
Every member of a public works or roads department wants to ensure that they are keeping the roads clear during and after a winter snow event. Their friends and family are driving on the roads that they are plowing and treating with de-icing and anti-icing products. To provide the best response possible, here are a few questions you can ask as you review your department’s performance after a winter snow event.
Winter Snow Event Questions
- Did we clear the primary/major roads within a reasonable timeframe?
- Were the main thoroughfares through town (interstate, state, and main streets) cleared in preparation for morning traffic?
- Did the transit and school bus routes get cleared in time for the buses to run?
- Were the major trucking routes addressed as a priority and round the clock?
- Did the routes to major industrial areas and mail delivery routes get cleared in a reasonable time?
- Did the routes to the local hospitals and fire stations receive priority clearance?
- Did we get to the secondary roads within a reasonable timeframe?
- Were any areas missed? Were they missed repeatedly or just during severe storms?
- How does the accident rate compare to the previous 5 years?
- Has the average daily traffic (ADT) increased, decreased or stayed the same?
- Were the stopping points (traffic signals, stop signs, railroad crossing, and other intersections) treated with extra care? (more Ice Slicer, another pass with the plow, etc.)
- Do the treated areas overlap to prevent unexpected slick areas?
- Were ramps and other approaches to major city routes treated early in the storm?
- Were all potential hazards that would be covered in snow clearly marked such as drop inlets, catch basins, ends of curbing, guardrails, fire hydrants and drain locations?
- Was the snow fencing placed properly? Should there be any adjustments between storms?
Snow/Ice Event Report
We’ve created a Snow/Ice Event Report that you can use to gather the data after each storm – you can download it here. These questions are just the start of evaluating a department’s response after a winter snow event. What would you add to this list? Please share in the comments.
Are you reviewing the products you currently use? Would you like to talk to an Ice Melts expert? Contact your sales representative today or call (877) 718-3878 for more information.
Desert Mountain Corporation – Keeping Roads Safe Since 1990
