Prioritization of snow removal operations increases efficiency and provides a systematic approach to snow removal throughout the City of Rochester. Streets in Rochester are categorized as follows:
- Priority 1: Arterial and collector roads
High-traffic main roadways with a high traffic volume and higher probability of accidents. These are also critical to provide access for emergency services.
- Priority 2: Local roads, transit routes, schools, and hills
Main residential through streets with lead to arterial and collector roads as well as city transit routes, steep hills and areas around schools.
- Priority 3: Cul-de-sac streets, alleys and dead ends
These streets have the lowest traffic volume.
- Coming soon: map of street priority designations
The amount of time it takes to clear streets is dependent upon the amount of snow we receive.
- Less than 2" of snow: A partial plow event that typically takes 8 hours
- Priority 1 roads are cleared
- Priority 2 roads are cleared
- Roads are not cleared to full width
- Partial crew of operating 21 plow trucks, 2-3 pick-up trucks and two sidewalk machines
- Snow events of more than 4": A full plow event that typically takes 12 hours
- Priority 1 roads are a priority to clear during the snow event
- Priority 2 roads are a priority to clear during the snow event
- Priority 3 roads/areas are cleared after the snow event ends
- Roads are cleared to the full width
- A full crew operating 28 plow trucks, 4 graders, 5 loaders, 3 one-ton trucks to clear cul-de-sacs, 2-3 pick-up trucks, and 2 sidewalk machines.
- Snow removal from Central Business District (CBD)
- Snow typically needs to be hauled out of the CBD after individual snowfalls in excess of 3" or after multiple smaller snowfalls. This work is done once all other streets have been cleared to their full width and typically takes 2-4 days to complete, depending on accumulation.
Use of salt and sand on City streets
The excessive use of salt has major environmental impacts. Not only can salt harm grass and other landscaping, stormwater runoff will carry deicing salts to nearby waterways where it will be a pollutant. It only takes one tablespoon of salt to permanently contaminate 5 gallons of water. Thus, salt is used sparingly on main roads and at main intersections to allow safe passage. The effectiveness of salt when the pavement surface temperature is below 15⁰F is dramatically reduced. The use of a salt-sand mixture also has many implications associated with its use. Any salt-sand mix that gets placed on streets has to get swept up by City crews each spring. This requires a lot of manpower, equipment and results in real costs. Salt-sand mix is typically used in low temperatures or where traction is needed such as hills, sharp curves and intersections.
Why does the city pre-treat roads with a salt-brine solution? Click here for a video on why this pre-treatment is an effective tool. (Note: The City of Rochester only uses liquid brine before a storm, not during or after a storm. Historically we have found it to create more icy spots rather than melting ice.)
