Winter operations for Jasper County clearly state the level, sequence of services

Winter operations policies for Jasper County’s secondary roads department have been revised and approved by the board of supervisors. The county engineer noted that in addition to some language revisions, the major changes include the time in which snowplow trucks and spreaders will be operating on roads.

Prior to the revisions, crews were working 13 hours from 4:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on paved routes. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said now crews will work in 12-hour blocks from 4:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If a winter event prompts crews to start at noon or after noon, operations will continue until 5:30 p.m.

“That is in there now and that wasn’t in there before,” Frietsch said of the new paved route policies. “…In Section 2, I was very clear on private roads versus county roads. I made sure that was a lot clearer than what was in there before. Because it wasn’t very clear. It was very ambiguous before.”

According to the winter operations policy, services are limited only to roads accepted by the county board of supervisors by resolution and/or ordinance. Private subdivision roads and field entrances and driveways to properties within the county do not meet this definition and are excluded from services.

Other than plowing roads, winter operations in Jasper County can include snow and ice removal and sanding and salting roads. The county makes no assurances that the full width of the roadway will be cleared of snow, ice, compacted snow and ice or frost.

Since snow removal in shoulders and ditches can pile up, the county urges drivers to be cautious of their speed and traffic in one-lane conditions.

When it comes to mailboxes, the county will not replace or repair any mailbox destroyed or damaged during snow removal operations unless it can be shown that a plow blade directly struck the mailbox. The county will also not replace or repair mailboxes damaged or knocked down from the force of snow removal.

Here are the snow and ice maintenance policies for paved routes:

• Truck-mounted snowplows and spreaders operation is between the hours of 4:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Unless the winter event prompting the response starts on or after noon, in which case operations will continue until 5:30 pm.

• Operations may be suspended if snow and blowing reduces visibility to hazardous working conditions, in the professional judgment of the County Engineer or his delegated representative.

• Initial effort will be to open routes to one lane traffic in accordance with Item l above.

• Subsequent snow removal will resume during normal working hours, unless forecasted future events warrant continued winter operation hours.

• Motor graders may be used in conjunction with the truck-mounted snowplows to open, or keep open, the paved routes, delaying the opening of granular surfaced roads.

• County may place salt, sand, or other abrasives (treatment) on intersections, hills, and curves once they are plowed. Retreatment may not occur between snowstorms. Treatment operations shall be limited to the hours set forth in Item I above.

• Jasper County is not obligated to provide a “dry” pavement condition.

Here are the snow and ice maintenance policies for unpaved routes:

• Motor grader snow removal operation is between the hours of 4:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

• Operations may be suspended if snow and blowing reduces visibility to hazardous working conditions, in the professional judgment of the County Engineer or his delegated representative.

• Motor grader snow removal operations will not be undertaken on holidays, Saturdays or Sundays when the expected snowfall total is 3 inches or less, unless drifting snow and blockages of roads occurs.

• Initial effort will be to provide at least one path of ingress and egress for each inhabited residence. The roads or portions or roads involved may vary for each event.

• After providing inhabited residences with at least one ingress and egress pathway, these same routes will be widened to two lane travel in preparation for the next event during normal working hours, unless forecasted future events warrant continued winter operation hours.

• Upon completion of Items 3 and 4 above, the remaining unopened routes (those without occupied residences) will be opened to one lane travel, then, as time and resources allow, to two lane travel during normal working hours.

• Snow will not be removed from roads designated as Level 8 roads.

• Excess snow or ice will be placed along the sides of roadways and the determination of the side (east, west, north or south) will be based upon prevailing winds. forecasted winds, road alignment, and space availability. Objective is to reduce the amount of drifting both during the current event and for future events.