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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, January 31, 2013 · 8 www.oakville.ca www.oakville.ca Q: Why is there snow still on my street? Local roads are not plowed or salted to achieve bare pavement and periodic snow pack conditions can be expected. Snow pack develops very quickly as vehicles travel on snow-covered roads. Although bumpy at times, vehicles can navigate snow pack easily, however under these conditions some rutting can be expected. The town will take steps to improve conditions on local roads when warranted. Providing a bare pavement level of service to all residential streets would have a significant impact not only on budget, but on the environment as well. The town, as well as other Canadian road agencies, is required to manage salt use and minimize environmental impacts. The Town of Oakville's snow operations is ready for action! Armed with plows, sand and salt, our crews are ready to clear your roads and sidewalks as quickly and effectively as possible. Q: When does the town sand and/or salt the roads? Sand and/or salt trucks are dispatched to primary and secondary roads at the start of a snowfall and at the first sign of roads beginning to ice. Residential roads are only sanded when conditions warrant and then only hills, curves and intersections. Q: When can I expect my sidewalk to be cleared? Sidewalks are cleared after snow accumulates in excess of 5 cm (2 inches), and only after roads are cleared. Sidewalks on primary and secondary roads with schools are plowed first, followed by residential sidewalks. Q: What are primary, secondary, and residential roads? Primary roads are those with the greatest volume of traffic such as Trafalgar Road and Upper Middle Road. Secondary roads, such as Glenashton Drive and West Oaks Trails, are roads that have less traffic than primary roads, but also have bus routes and lead to primary roads. Residential roads, such as Sandlewood Road and Belyea Road, again have much less traffic than the other two roadways. Some residential roads are classified as secondary due to high traffic volumes and the presence of facilities such as schools or due to hills and valleys. Q: Why do sidewalk plows damage sod? While operators strive to minimize sod damage, some degree of damage can happen. Sidewalk plows are required to be large machines in order to effectively plow deep snow, when needed. Unfortunately, this makes them less forgiving to operate on sidewalks. Deep or drifted snow conditions often completely hide the sidewalk edge. When sod is frozen, damage is minimized; however, when sod is not frozen, it lifts away very easily and damage can be extensive. Often, the sod removed is overgrowth growing onto the sidewalk. To report sod damage, please call ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Town staff will review the damage and make repairs as weather permits. Some repairs may be scheduled for spring when new sod is available. Q: Does the town clear all roads at once? No. Primary and secondary roads are plowed first to ensure that emergency service vehicles can gain access throughout the town. Residential streets are plowed only after snow accumulates in excess of 10 cm (4 inches). When all streets require clearing, they are to be completed within 24 hours after the end of the storm. The heavier the snowfall, the longer it will take to clear all the streets. For more information on snow clearing visit www.oakville.ca or call the snow line at 905-815-5999.