Snow and Ice Control
We know that when the snow starts falling, you will start to wonder when you may see a snow plow/ salt truck heading down your street.
Our Public Works staff work very hard, year-round, to ensure that roadways are maintained and kept accessible to residents at all times of the year. Emergency areas and Major Collector Streets take priority over other streets and areas of Town. During periods of heavy snowfall or other extreme weather conditions, please have patience as our maintenance staff work to get to your area as quickly as they possibly can. Predicting the amount of snowfall during any one given snow event (especially in Nova Scotia today) is a difficult thing to do and staff work diligently to ensure our streets are maintained to a safe standard. Your cooperation and patience regarding snow removal is encouraged and much appreciated by the Town and your fellow residents.
After a snowfall, crews are often hampered by cars parked on the streets, which block access to snow clearing equipment. This creates time delays and can be hazardous. We would like to remind everyone that in accordance with the annual Winter Parking Ban residents are required to keep the roadway clear of parked vehicles in order to allow snow clearing crews to do their work safely and efficiently. If you have any questions please contact the Town office at 902 – 639 – 2231.
Current Snow and Ice Control Practices
The Superintendent of Public Works is responsible for the coordination and deployment of resources as it relates to snow and ice control within the boundaries of the Town of Stewiacke. For the purposes of snow and ice control Public Works staff have established 4 priority areas as follows:
- Priority 1 - Major Collector Streets … Kitchener Street, Main Street East, a portion of Main Street West to the end of the pavement (Low Tide Road), George Street as well as access to the Fire Hall bay doors.
- Priority 2 - Minor Collector Street … St Andrews Street
- Priority 3 - Remaining Local Streets …
- Priority 4 - Town-owned parking areas/lots.
The level of snow and ice control will depend on the snow event! For a snow event that is forecasted to deposit a maximum of 3 inches or less, crews will utilize the deployment of salt. For snow events forecasted to deposit more than 3 inches a combination of plowing and salt will be utilized to ensure streets and sidewalks are passable for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Winter Information
With snow piling up wherever snow can be piled, the town has struggled with private plowers and homeowners pushing snow into the roads or sidewalks. Plowing snow from a driveway across the road into the opposite side can be dangerous because extra piles of snow on the snowbanks, especially when hardened, get in the way of plow trucks’ wings. When a plow truck’s wing hits extra snow on the side of a road, the impact can throw the truck into the other lane if you have an oncoming car that could be a very serious situation.
Tips
Shovelling snow onto the street creates more work for snow plows, slowing down the clearing process. A snow plow pushes snow to the right road edge of the street and cannot carry snow away. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes snow may be pushed back onto your driveway or sidewalk, even if you have already shovelled it. If this happens to you, please shovel the snow onto your lawn to keep the streets and sidewalks clean and safe for your neighbours and other drivers.
If you have a fire hydrant in front of your home, please clear the snow around it for easy emergency access.
Be a good neighbour: Give your neighbours a hand shovelling snow, especially if they are seniors or have limited mobility.
Keep curb free from debris and bins: Remove any decorations, garbage, recycling and organics bins off roadways where snow plowing may take place. Check the collection schedule for notices about the delayed collection.
Help keep catch basins free of debris, especially during melting conditions
Blocked catch basins may result in an excess buildup of water along the road area. This could become dangerous if it freezes and may also result in flooding of nearby properties.
The Municipal Parking Ban Indicates
No person shall park or have standing any attended or unattended vehicle on any way or highway right-of-way which may interfere with snow removal or the normal movement of traffic. Any vehicle parked, disabled, or abandoned on any public way that interferes with or hinders the removal of snow or sanding may be removed and stored, at the owner's expense, at the order of the Town of Stewiacke without notice to the owner beginning December 15th and ending April 15th between the hours of 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM. The Town of Stewiacke will in no way be responsible for any damage or loss to a vehicle stored in compliance with this Section.