Snow removal: Cities, counties prioritize major roadways, emergency response routes

Parts of Wayne County saw more than 13 inches of snow on Sunday night and into Monday, while Ashland measured up to 7 inches in parts of the county.

All of this snow made for slick driving conditions that left vehicles in ditches throughout the area.

The city of Wooster's team of 11 plow trucks hit the streets Sunday at 6 p.m., clearing and salting the roads, said Curt Denning, public properties maintenance manager.

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Nearly 25 hours later, his short-staffed team cleared and salted many of the major and some residential roads throughout the city, prioritizing emergency response and highly trafficked routes.

What remained became the city's next priority: residential streets, approximately 12 miles of alleyways and nearly 100 cul-de-sacs, Denning said.

"We divide the city into six sections with primary routes and secondary routes, which includes residential roads," he said.

The first major snowstorm of the season cost Wooster roughly $65,000 to clean up, by Denning's estimates. That's around $195 to clear and salt each one-mile stretch of the city's 330 miles of street lanes.

The total includes $7,000 for labor and $25,000 for nearly 550 tons of salt used.

How cities and counties prioritize roads in a snowstorm

After each snowstorm, Denning receives the same questions from residents, "When will my street be plowed?"

While he understands the frustration, his team's first response is limited to major roadways and primary routes. These are streets that run in, out and through the city like Burbank Road, Market Street and Liberty Street in Wooster.

Among their top priorities are commonly used emergency response routes for ambulances, police and fire, he said.

Once major thoroughfares are cleared, secondary routes that include residential and lesser-used streets take priority.

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While plow trucks started work at 6 p.m. on Sunday, it wasn't until later on Monday when crews addressed residential streets, he said.

"A lot of factors go into how fast we can clear the snow," Denning said. "The amount of snow is a big factor because it usually takes around 14 hours once the snow stops to finish with the secondary routes."

Maintenance problems are an ever-present possibility, he said. There were no serious breakdowns, but his team experienced some problems with hydraulic lines in trucks that needed to be fixed.

"Lastly, Mother Nature is a huge help," Denning said. "If the sun is out that helps clear the snow faster."

Like Wayne, Ashland County has miles of county roads to clear, some of which take priority over others.

Ed Meixner, the Ashland County engineer, sent his team in15 plow trucks onto county roads in the evening on Sunday. Their goal was to clear emergency response routes, major roadways to and from cities and villages and school bus routes of nearly 7 inches of snow.

"We focused on those but we were able to deprioritize school routes because schools were out with it being a holiday," Meizner said.

Once major roadways were cleared, his team took on lesser county roads by following one of the 10 routes his drivers take. His team also received calls from the county sheriff's office and residents to clear any missed streets.

"This storm hit everyone all at once," Meixner said. "But it was not as bad as some snowstorms we've had, so it was relatively easy to handle."

Short on labor and delays

The labor shortage is felt everywhere, including in Wooster. Denning's crew was shorthanded Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, making snow removal slower than usual.

This delay meant residential streets took longer to address, he said.

"We were unable to fill all of the trucks due to staffing, some on medical leave and others are in training," Denning said. "Our new employees really stepped up, though; we have a great team."

While fewer employees can delay snow removal, other factors also result in delays. The city's nearly 100 cul-de-sacs can take up to 15 minutes to clear, putting an already tight schedule behind.

Cars parked on streets — especially where a parking ban is in place — can take more time away.

"We really appreciate the people that don't park on streets during a parking ban," Denning said.

Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com

On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Snowstorm: Wayne and Ashland counties prioritize major roadways