Public Works Operations Procedure Report FY 2016 Snow Plan

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1 Public Works Operations Procedure Report FY 2016 Snow Plan 3556 Dam Neck Road Virginia Beach, VA 23453

2 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction 1 Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation 2 Section 3 Snow Control Procedures 6 Section 4 Snow Zones and Prioritization 8 Zones 1 & 3 Routes Areas 1 through 4 Zone 2 Routes Areas 1 through 3 Zone 4 Routes Areas 1 and 2 Section 5 Frost Patrol Procedures 21 Frost Patrol Route Maps Section 6 Master Street Listing 25

3 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Section 1 Introduction Public Works Operations endeavor to maintain mobility on Priority 1 and Priority 2 streets. During snowfall, Highway crews concentrate on keeping the main arterials (Priority 1) passable for public transportation and emergency vehicles. After snow stops falling, crews concentrate on clearing snow from priority 1, 2, & 3 streets for general public use as promptly as possible. Neighborhood streets are not cleared. Parked vehicles and other safety considerations do not make snow removal from these streets practical or cost effective. Public Works Operations is equipped with 19 single axle dump trucks, 12 tandem dump trucks, and a combination of chemical spreaders and snow plows. In addition, one motor grader, one bulldozer, and five front-end loaders are also available to move snow and ice when conditions warrant. Abrasives (sand and salt) are used when freezing conditions exist and are first applied on the City s bridges and culverts. Ice on Bridges signs exist at 18 bridge locations. Priority 1 streets include streets that access hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Parking lots for these facilities are not cleared by Public Works. Public Works Operations goal is to have the (approximately 900 lane miles) Priority 1 streets passable to public transportation and emergency vehicles within 12 hours after snow stops falling. The goal for Priority 2 and 3 streets (approximately 324 lane miles) is to be passable within a 24-hour period after snow stops falling. The intensity of the storm and factors such as temperature, time of day, day of the week, wind conditions, etc., will actually dictate the length of time it takes to clear city streets. If snow accumulation is more than City equipment and manpower can effectively manage, local contractors under contract to the City are called upon to provide assistance.

4 FY 2016 Snow Plan Procedure Report Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation During normal working hours the Infrastructure Maintenance Superintendent monitors and initiates the alert depending on conditions, following procedures below. Nights, weekends, and holidays the 706 Supervisor notifies the Infrastructure Maintenance Administrator. 706 is the after hours emergency response team. If the Infrastructure Maintenance Administrator cannot be contacted, then the Operations Management Administrator is notified. The Command Center for Public Works Operations is located at the Dam Neck Yard Facility. There are four materials yards located throughout the City, at Dam Neck, Oceana, Euclid, and Pungo Public Works yards. The Command Center is staffed around the clock when operationally required and reports directly to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The following procedures should be followed to set the organization into action when snow is in the forecast: 1. All personnel assigned to the snow plan are required to call their supervisor for instructions and orders. They are to report only on the shift (day or night) to which they are assigned by their supervisor. It is necessary to have all Public Works Operations employees assigned to the snow plan available for duty, particularly at night, weekends and holidays. Therefore, if any employees expects to be out of the City during such periods, they must notify their immediate supervisor(s) before leaving the City. Current telephone numbers must be provided by all employees so they can be reached in case of emergency (e.g. snow emergency). 2. Thoroughly inspect all equipment. Make all repairs and order stock or parts. Particular attention should be paid to these components: Inspect conditions of moldboard and cutting edge of all snow plows. Inspect snow plow hoists. Check air and hydraulic hoses and other critical parts on power units. Mount, load, and test all spreaders. Make necessary repairs to spreaders 2

5 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation (cont.) Inspect all vehicle lighting, including wiring and sockets on headlights, tail lights, stop lights and turn signals (warning lights must be visible from all sides). Verify sufficient stock of tires, spreader repair parts and other miscellaneous supplies are available. Verify all personnel are familiar with spreader controls (manual or automatic). 3. Every operator should know what to expect of each piece of equipment. Operators should check these items carefully: SPREADER - Inspect pumps, hoses and fittings: check spinners and auxiliary engines. CONTROLS - The two major components of any hydraulic system are the pump and the controls, whether they are manual or automatic. All operators should become thoroughly familiar with spreader controls. No two hydraulic systems are exactly the same. PLOWS - Blades should be carefully inspected during and after each use. If blade wear begins eating into moldboard, it will be very costly to replace. Snow plow blades do not wear evenly. Replace blades when they are badly worn at any point! Operators should check blade wearing during storms (right-hand plows wear most rapidly on the left side, while the opposite is true for left-hand plows. Reversible plows may show wear on either side depending upon operating time in each position). 3

6 FY 2016 Snow Plan Procedure Report Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation (cont.) ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT - Inspect and service all lighting and electrical equipment regularly, including wiring and sockets. Faulty wiring and failure of alternators, generators and batteries cause most of the downtime in winter maintenance vehicles. Nothing is more terrifying and dangerous than a stalled and darkened vehicle in a bad storm. SAFETY EQUIPMENT - Make sure there are flashlights, flares, flags, safety vests and a firstaid kit in truck cabs. It is preferable to wear hard hats at all times. Seat belts must be worn during vehicle operation!! 4. All vehicle operators should know the location, telephone numbers and radio numbers of emergency repair and refueling stations. The primary refueling stations are located at the Dam Neck Highway yard and Euclid yard. Operators should call the Dam Neck yard at to report emergencies. 5. If the late afternoon reports indicate the possibility of overnight ice / snowfall, equipment will be readied by attaching snow plows and spreaders before the workday ends. If weather forecasts indicate it, a certain portion of the work force will stay at Dam Neck to begin clearing operations as conditions require. If the forecast indicates ice / snow during the night, a portion of the work force may be sent home to get some rest and report for duty at night. 6. The designated area supervisor shall be responsible for determining material needs at the material yards and placing orders for restocking supplies. Stockpiling materials, ordering chemicals and materials, stocking of replacement blade, etc., shall be accomplished before a snow storm and during the storm as needed. 4

7 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation (cont.) 7. The night / day shift Command Center Coordinator will be responsible for providing status information of snow and road conditions to the Public Works Director s Office, Public Information Office and others as required. 8. SPREADING ABRASIVES: Two parts sand, one part rock salt. TREAT BRIDGES FIRST - Bridges freeze long before road surfaces since cold air reaches both the top and bottom surfaces of bridge decks, they do not hold warmth as a roadbed does. They should receive early attention and an application of abrasives. Bridge decks may ice over even when there is no precipitation because of high humidity and low temperatures. ABRASIVES ON THE HIGH SIDE OF ELEVATED CURVES - Salt brine will flow down across a banked curve. If you spread salt down the center line, everything above it will remain icy. Spread abrasives on the high side of the curve and let gravity work for you. LEAVE NO GAPS - Operators must go beyond their assigned areas, if necessary, to plow or salt a gap that has not been treated. WATCH FOR DRIFTING - In continued high winds, maintain a patrol to watch for drifting and slick spots even after the pavement has been cleared. TRAFFIC ICING - Occasionally, under certain weather conditions, a paper-thin sheet of ice forms in the wheel path on the pavement even when no snow has accumulated. Equipment Operators should watch for this occurrence and apply salt or abrasives immediately if it is detected. 5

8 FY 2016 Snow Plan Procedure Report Section 2 Snow Alert Initiation (cont.) GET EQUIPMENT ON THE ROAD - When snowplows are mounted and trucks loaded, the vehicle should be dispatched out of the yard and onto their plowing/spreading assignments. Severe tie-ups could result because equipment operators are late getting to critical points. Every attempt will be made to have equipment on the road when the snow begins. It is far better to have your equipment on the road when the snow begins, than in the maintenance yard. Motorist are reassured when they see spreaders and plows on the roads.. 9. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: After each storm, all equipment must be cleaned, hosed down, and allowed to dry. When dry, components such as chains, spreaders, hinges, spinners, and other moving parts should be coated with a light film of spray lubricant and spray grease. Grease all bearings. Check hydraulics and quick disconnects for leakage. Section 3 Snow Control Procedures Stage I Snow in the Forecast During the period (18 to 24 hours ahead of anticipated snowfall), early and final preparations are made. All equipment should be checked, gassed-up, minor repairs made, and a final list of on-line available equipment prepared. Snow plows will be mounted and material spreaders will be prepared to roll immediately. Our goal is to have material spreaders on the streets in sufficient strength to begin work as snow begins to accumulate/stick on the roadway. All ALPHA employees stand ready to receive instructions. 6

9 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Section 3 Snow Control Procedures (cont.) Stage II Snow Storm Starts Material spreaders begin sanding/salting as soon as the pavements become coated with snow or ice and continue as long as necessary and directed. All bridges, intersections, and curves are treated first. If weather forecasts predict only a light dusting or ½ - 1 of snow, and the temperature is above 25 Fahrenheit, material spreaders alone will be sufficient to clear the streets. However if, 2-4 of snow is in the forecast, plans will be made to commit plows when 2 of snow is on the streets. Weather reports and supervisor s reports from the field are continuously evaluated. Stage III Snow of 2 on the Streets This is the sanding/salting and plowing stage. Plows are used with the spreaders in order to decrease the amounts of sand and chemicals used to improve the quality of the job. Plowing is done ahead of the spreaders. Superintendents and supervisors shall patrol previously plowed streets to determine if additional plowing and/or spreading are necessary. Stage IV Snowfall Has Ended Superintendents and supervisors patrol all Priority 1 streets to check the overall plowing quality. Additional plowing may be necessary in selected areas. All equipment is checked for damage. Repairs are made and everything is prepared for the next snowfall. 7

10 FY 2016 Snow Plan Procedure Report Section 4 Snow Zones and Prioritization The City has been divided into four zones with sub-areas and routes within the zones. This is necessary to coordinate the efforts of personnel and equipment on the roadways for effective service. The maps included in this section identify the zone, area, and prioritization of the roadways within. Bridges are also identified and are discussed further in the frost patrol section of this report on page 21. Snow Zones 1 and 3 contain 4 sub-areas. Area 1 includes approximately 92 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 16 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 8 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 2 includes approximately 102 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 16 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 8 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 3 includes approximately 121 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 34 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 7 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 4 includes approximately 155 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 17 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 2 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Snow Zone 2 contains 3 sub-areas. Area 1 includes approximately 105 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 12 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 13 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 2 includes approximately 120 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 23 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 3 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 3 includes approximately 108 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 6 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 11 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Snow Zone 4 contains 2 sub-areas. Area 1 includes approximately 70 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 92 lane miles of priority 2 roadways and 24 lane miles of priority 3 roadways. Area 2 includes approximately 25 lane miles of priority 1 roadways, 32 lane miles of priority 2 roadways. There are no priority 3 roadways in Area 2. 8

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23 Snow Plan Procedure Report FY 2016 Section 5 Frost Patrol Procedures The frost patrol was established in 2004 due to concerns that many bridges in Virginia Beach are susceptible to rapid frosting and icing under certain wind and temperature conditions. Most bridges have elevations and designed curves which present underflowing wind exposure, and many are above waterways. The resulting slippery condition can present a serious hazard for traffic, particularly in the early morning rush hour. As an early response to minimize public risk, our bridges have been categorized into three (3) routes for patrol: a northeast route, a northwest route, and a southern route. Staff are identified for each route, and patrols begin November 1st each year and run to March 31st. Patrols begin at 3:30 am each morning, 7 days a week, with one (1) spreader dump truck dedicated to each of the three routes. Response is contingent each day on a base line temperature of 35 degrees or less. This is established using a 5 day weather forecast which is updated twice a week from NOAA Weather, and also by reviewing local conditions by computer. This adjustment to the process was put in place in When the temperature is forecast to approach 35 degrees or less, the Operations Superintendent or designee will determine if route staff should report in for patrol. The outcome for each day is tracked through our computerized work management system. The maps on the following pages identify the routes and the bridges. The northeast route contains 20 bridges, the northwest route contains 22 bridges, and the southern route contains 11 bridges. 21

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