A-2. Review of 2015-2016 Snowplowing OperationsA -a,
CITY OF
MEMORANDUM
�HANNSEN
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
7700 Market Boulevard
7 °'
PO Box 147
FROM: Paul Oehme, Director of Public Works /City Engineer
Chanhassen, MN 55317
DATE: July 25, 2016 6
Administration
SUBJ: Review of 2015 -2016 Snowplowing Operations
Phone: 952.227 1100
Snow will be plowed in a manner to provide access as soon as possible and to
Fax: 952 227.1110
minimize traffic obstructions. Collector roadways are plowed first. Local streets and
Building Inspections
BACKGROUND
Phone: 952.227.1180
possible. After all routes are open, streets and cul -de -sacs are then plowed curb to
Fax:952.227.1190
The City's Street Department is responsible for snow and ice control on city streets.
PFax:952.227.13100
Fax: 952.227.1310
The City maintains 114.4 miles of streets in the community. During larger snow /ice
Engineering
events, the Street Department utilizes the Fleet, Utility and Parks Departments staff
Phone, 952.227.1100
Fax: one:952.227116
to help in these instances. Each employee is assigned a route for efficiency and better
Phone: 952.227.1125
customer service (see attached map).
Finance
Phone: 952.227.1140 The City works with the Carver County Sheriff's office on call outs and if specific
Fax: 952.227.1110 areas need to be treated or plowed immediately. During an "average" snow event, the
Street Superintendent calls plow drivers to start plowing the streets at 3:00 a.m. This
Park & Recreation time will vary depending on street condition and weather reports. The snowplowing
Phone: 952.227.1120
Fax: 952227.1110 operation will start according to the following criteria:
Recreation Center
A. Snow accumulation of approximately two or more inches;
2310 Coulter Boulevard
B. Drifting of snow that causes problems for travel;
Phone: 952227.1400
C. Icy conditions which seriously affect travel; and
Fax: 952.227.1404
D. Time of snowfall in relationship to heavy usage of streets (i.e. weekday a.m.
and p.m, commuter periods).
Planning &
Natural Resources
Phone: 952227.1130
Snow will be plowed in a manner to provide access as soon as possible and to
Fax: 952.227.1110
minimize traffic obstructions. Collector roadways are plowed first. Local streets and
cul -de -sacs are initially plowed with a single pass to open all routes as soon as
Public Works
possible. After all routes are open, streets and cul -de -sacs are then plowed curb to
1591 Park Road
curb. The goal is to have all streets open by 7:00 a.m. It is the Street Department's
PFax:952.227.13100
Fax: 952.227.1310
goal to have the entire street system cleaned after a "typical" snowfall in
approximately 10 hours, assuming a general plowing operation beginning at 3:00 a.m.
Senior Center
with snowfall ending by 7:00 a.m. Opening up most streets before the normal a.m.
Phone: 952.227.1125
rush hour is not only an important service level the City provides but it is also an
Fax: 952.227.1110
important safety component of the operation. Depending on snowfall conditions and
the duration of the storm, cleanup operations can widely fluctuate. Cleanup
Web Site
operations are mainly handled with plow trucks and front end loaders with plows
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
Chanhassen is a Community for Life - Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow
Todd Gerhardt
Review of 2015 -2016 Snowplowing Operations
July 25, 2016
Page 2
depending on the situation, Clearing snow away from hydrants is the property owners'
responsibility unless special situations require the City to complete this work.
As older snow and ice control equipment becomes unreliable and is replaced, the City has been able
to purchase chemical treatment equipment with the new trucks that is more accurate, efficient and
saves on the amount of chemicals used. The City is also using pretreating salt with liquid chemicals
such as calcium chloride. Dry salt material bounces or blows off the road. By pretreating salt, the
salt stays in the area where treatment is applied. Liquid treatment of salt also increases the salt's
effectiveness by jump- starting the melting process. Depending on the liquid used, it may lower the
salt's effective working temperature. Using liquid application activates salt quicker so it melts snow
and ice in less time. This allows less product to be used.
Sand is typically only used unless temperatures are blow -20 deg. When temperatures are this low
deicing chemicals become ineffective. Sand is not an effective deicer but is used to improve
traction. Much of the sand applied to streets parking lots and sidewalks eventually washes into the
nearby waterways, where it can fill wetlands, lakes and creeks, or obstruct the flow of water though
the storm sewers.
The 2015 /2016 winter was about an average year with 24 call out events. As a reference, the Street
Department had 26 call outs in 2014/2015, 35 call outs in 2013/2014, 43 call outs in 2012/2013 and
25 call outs in 2011/2012.
To improve efficiency and for better benchmarking, some cities are using GPS tracking equipment
for snow and ice control events. Staff will discuss benefits of GPS tracking systems at the
worksession and gain feedback from the Council if a GPS tracking system is something the City
should evaluate further.
Attachments: 1. Map of Snowplow Routes
2. 2015/2016 Snow Event Record
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