Snow Removal

All operations are not regulatory requirements, however, under O.Reg.239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways there are some regulations on the response time to deploy resources to treat icy roadways and clear snow. The town complies with those regulatory obligations by following the Roadway Management Plan.  The Works & Operations Department is committed to maintain all the Town's roads and associated facilities in a safe, usable, and cost effective way.  Outlined below are the activities and resources the town is using for winter control operations:

Equipment

The town utilizes all the assets of the Works & Operations department as needed to address snow emergencies. A list of the current rolling equipment includes:

• 2 graders
• 2 loaders
• 1 rubber tyre hoe (occasionally)
• 1 sander
• 1 plow (occasionally)
• 1 trackless w/ blade or blower and/or sander
• 1 steamer for thawing culverts
• 1 de-icer for thawing frozen water lines

Manpower

The Works & Operations department assigns all of the operators to winter maintenance operations as needed. One (1) operator is scheduled on a weekly rotation on morning shift from 4:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a continuous period of up to twenty one (21) weeks in winter.

Route

Currently, the Town is comprised of class 3, 4, and 5 treatment classifications of roadways based on Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Volume. With a total of approximately 38 km of roads (class 3-11 km, class 4-16 km, class 5-11 km) and a few kilometres of laneways and sidewalks from which to remove snow and control ice, a priority equipment and route list is assigned to maximize the effectiveness for the motoring public. Class 3 roadways encompassing the town's main artery roads are assigned as highest priority in respect winter control operations. Class 4, Class 5, and lanes and back-lanes are accomplished in subsequent order.  Priority is also given to sidewalks in the immediate vicinity of schools, seniors facilities, hospitals and the downtown area.

Materials

The town used approximately 449 tonnes of salt and 955 tonnes of sand/salt mixes during the 2008/2009 season. The sand is used as an abrasive and is applied to the road to improve motor vehicle traction. Salt is employed as a de-icing and anti-icing agent and may be applied at the beginning of the storm, before plowing operations begin. The sand/salt mix is used to assist the sand in sticking to ice-covered roadways. However, planning and decision for using appropriate materials is difficult due to the uniqueness of each storm. No two storms are ever identical. The interrelationship of factors such as rate of snowfall, moisture content, accumulation, temperature, time of day, and wind velocity determines the uniqueness of each storm. The town operation must be flexible enough to combat the various aspect of each storm. Presently, all responses to every storm are of a judgment nature. These judgments should be based on experiences and common sense.

Operator's Training

In 2005, a training program was made available to the Works & Operations Department for all operators assigned to winter operations. The in-depth training program conducted by Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) covered every detail of winter operations.

Salt Management Plan

The Town of Marathon has prepared a salt management plan in order to comply with the Code of Practice under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). One of the recommended actions of the Salt Management Plan was to lower salt use and keep it down to approximately 1% to 5% by volume where possible.  The Town has reduced the salt mix ratio from 14% to 10% in the first year of the salt management plan, and as a result, salt usage has been reduced by 20% in comparison to the previous year.  The minimization of salt use was recommended by the groundwater study considering potential contamination and vulnerable water aquifer in Marathon.