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Snow & Ice Removal

The Township is responsible for plowing all of the dedicated streets in addition to all of the contracted state highways.

The State approaches the Township and asks them to snow plow certain roads. The state, in turn, allocates money to the Township for the process of snow plowing the contracted roads. This money is used by the township for snow plowing and ice removal on all sate highways which includes: salt, rented equipment, etc.

Why the Main Arteries are Plowed First

• Public Works tries to maintain the main arteries free and clear first for services such as police, ambulances, fire trucks, and emergency equipment.
• If the main arteries are closed, these services can not get out to any residents.
• Public Works coordinates the snow plows with emergency service vehicles to ensure that they can safely reach your residence.

Why You Shouldn't Shovel or Plow Snow into the Street

• A township ordinance prohibits it.
• You can be fined.
• You are liable for any accidents that may occur because you discharged snow back onto that portion of the street.
• For more information about violations and fines click on the "Be Careful" link.

Why You Shouldn't Shovel your Entire Driveway before a Plow Reaches your Street

Because snow plows are on fixed angles, the last four feet of your driveway will be covered with snow when the plowing is finished.

NOTE: If you do shovel your entire driveway, shovel the excess snow to the right side of your driveway.

Why it Takes so Long for All of the Streets in the Township to be Plowed

• Plows don't start until there is an accumulation of at least 4 inches.
• The plows move at approximately 15 miles per hour.
• Most streets are 31 feet in width, which takes a truck 4 passes to plow.
• The township is responsible for plowing approximately 194 miles of roads.

NOTE: 194 miles of roadways with 4 passes at 15 miles per hour (with out stopping) will take 51.7 hours to complete.

Example - Snow storm of 2000:

The snow accumulated to 4 inches or more at times, causing our crew to plow each roadway twice.

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Snow & Ice Removal Operations

When the Superintendent of Public Works becomes aware of a winter storm alert coupled with predictions of significant snow and/or ice accumulations, his first reaction is to direct his employees to prepare the removal vehicles. In most situations, five (5) "Salt trucks" of various sizes are loaded up with salt. If the storm event is predicted to result in snow accumulations of four (4) inches or more, or high winds are expected to cause drifting, then snow plows are attached on all trucks. In these situations, fourteen (14) Township owned vehicles are fitted with plows, and six (6) additional trucks are rented to plow snow.

In the event of a snow storm, the Township takes on the responsibility of clearing some 194 miles of State and Township roadway. In essence, there are three (3) categories of streets when thinking in terms of snow and ice removal. Thoroughfares in the Township are characterized as either major arteries, streets within the various residential neighborhoods, or cu-de-sacs and dead-end streets. Included among the major arteries to be cleared first by the Township are Second Street Pike, Route 332 (Almshouse Road and Newtown-Richboro Road), Jacksonville Road, Bustleton Pike, New Road, Hatboro Road, Spencer Road, and Elm Avenue. In addition, all of the "Holland Roads": Holland Road, Upper Holland Road, Middle Holland Road, Lower Holland Road, and East Holland Road. Major arteries that are the responsibility of PennDOT include Buck Road, Bridgetown Pike, Churchville Road, Bristol Road, Worthington Mill Road, and Chinquapin Road. Again, while these roads are the responsibility of the State, when Township snow plows are traveling from one development to another, they are directed to keep the plow down and help clear the way.

When the first priority category of streets is satisfactorily cleared, the plows then address the next category: development streets. For the purpose of an organized snow plowing effort, the various residential developments in the Township are grouped into seventeen (17) sectors. Each driver is responsible for a sector to be plowed. Whenever possible, the same driver is responsible for snow clearance of the same sector year in and year out.

With each sector representing over ten (10) miles of roadway, an effective snow clearance effort on a typical thirty-one (31) foot cartway requires four (4) passes over each street. With a ten (10) foot wide snow blade angled to create a nine (9) foot wide path, the driver first travels slightly off-center down the street, next, turning around and coming down the opposite direction, another off-center pass is made. Then, a pass is then made down the first side of the street clearing the snow to the curb. Lastly, the process is repeated, clearing the snow to the curb on the opposite side of the street. Snow is cleared curb-to-curb to accommodate the eventual snow melt; and, to account for the snow encroachment that results from a possible, second snowstorm. Consequently, Mr. Giradi, Public Works Director, pointed out, snow removal vehicles must travel some seven hundred (700) miles to clear some one hundred ninety-four miles of Township streets. And, he adds, high winds and drifting, and other inclement conditions will multiply the number of passes needed to clear the streets.

The final category of streets to be plowed in the event of a winter storm are the more than one hundred and thirty-four (134) cul-de-sacs and dead end streets. There are two main reasons for this final prioritization. First, by their very design, these roadways are among the least traveled. Second, because of the small turning radii necessary for a plow truck, smaller vehicles with power angled plows can only be used to clear the snow. In some instances, special front-end loaders are needed to slowly scoop the snow to clear it out of the way. This is a slow process that may require up to thirty (30) minutes per street to complete. More so than other streets, vehicular operators must be extra careful not to bury driveways and fire hydrants in cul-de-sac streets.

When snowfall is less than four (4) inches or the precipitation is mostly ice and freezing rain, the Superintendent divides the Township into five (5) sectors salt spreading only. This is a faster process requiring some four (4) to five (5) hours (verses 10 to 12 hours for plowing), with each truck responsible for distributing salt over some thirty-five (35) miles of roadway. Normally, a ten (10) foot to twelve (12) foot wide pattern is laid down in the center of the street with one pass.

In addition to public roadways, Public Works employees clear the parking lots and related access roads to the Administration Building, Police Headquarters, District Court, the Park and Recreation Civic Center, and the Northampton Public Library.

Emergency Situations

If an emergency situation arises on a street that has yet to have been cleared of snow and/or ice, the Township Police will notify the Public Works Department by phone or radio. The Superintendent or his designee will dispatch one or two trucks immediately to the site. Two trucks insure a speedy clearance of the street from both ends of the street. This allows Police, fire truck, and/or ambulance access to the emergency site from either end of the street. In addition, it is not an unknown happenstance for a snow plow truck to lead emergency vehicles to the emergency site and further lead the ambulance to hospital locations outside of the Township.

In addition to reacting to predicted and observed weather conditions, the Public Works Superintendent will initiate snow plowing or salt operations upon requests made by police officers patrolling Township roadways.

Salt Supplies

Normally, the Township receives some 450 tons of salt for use in clearing the streets. After awarding a contract bid, the contractor will drop off the salt at the Public Works site.

Like any other Township activity, snow and ice removal is one of many line items in the budget. In the memory of the Superintendent of Public Works, no Board of Supervisors has restricted removal efforts due to budgetary concerns. In the past, Mr. Giradi has been authorized to remove snow and ice from the streets, doing what needs to be done, until it is done.

Why Not Plow the Ice?

When snow falls result in less than four (4) inches of accumulation or the streets are covered with ice, snow plowing results in a wasted effort. With the weight of the plow resting on metal skids or caster wheels, aside from gravity, there is no downward pressure on the blade. Consequently, in these instances the snow plow just skims over the snow and/or ice. When weather conditions have resulted in heavy accumulations of snow freezing into ice, plowing efforts result in heavy damage to snow removal equipment. Again, ice removal efforts are best done with salt .

Participation and Responsibility of Residents

If a resident believes that his street has been missed during a snow clearing effort, he or she should report this to the Public Works office by telephone (215) 355-3433.

The Superintendent asks that the reporting resident stick to the facts as much as possible. This speeds up the process and reduces the stress in a stressful situation. All snow removal are dispatched by radio. As a driver completes segments of his sector of responsibility, he notes the time of completion on a clipboard mounted street map of his sector. Hence, street clearing efforts and misses can be coordinated.

In the event of a significant snow fall (4 inches or more) all on-street parking in the Township is prohibited. This restriction may be in effect for a period of 72 hours after a snow storm. Residents should also avoid parking cars in the driveway that overhang the curb. This is a particularly hazardous action that results in vehicular accidents and, at the least, improper snow removal.

For those residents wishing to avoid having newly shoveled driveways subsequently blocked by Township snow plows, there are two recommended courses of action. First, near the street, shovel snow to the right and dig out a pocket in the snow to the left of the driveway. The other method entails clearing the driveway except for the last four to five feet from the curb. Leave this "snow barrier" in place to block snow being plowed aside in the street, and then finish shoveling after the snow plow truck has passed by.

Residents should also be aware that down trees blocking the road are, depending on size, cut into sections and cleared to the side of the road. Trees are not removed from private property.

Private Streets and Undedicated Roads

Snow removal from private streets is not the responsibility of the Township. It is up to the Homeowners Association or other responsible entity to arrange for snow removal. In the case of undedicated roads, the Township does have the responsibility for providing minimal clearance that guarantees emergency access. In most cases, however, developer agreements provide for Township clearance of such streets whereby the developer is billed for snow removal.

In Conclusion

As mentioned before, the Township is responsible for snow and ice clearance on 194 miles of State and Township roadway. These thoroughfares are prioritized for removal by the categories of major arteries, development streets, and then efforts of the Police and the Superintendent of Public Works.

By far the most intense effort, snow plowing requires four (4) passes over the street to engender curb-to-curb clearance. The spreading of salt requires a single pass. Up to twenty (20) trucks may be involved in snow removal efforts by the Township. Before the winter storm season some $89,000 of salt material was stockpiled. This cost is added to other costs engendered by equipment maintenance, fuel, and employee wages. In the past, snow removal efforts have not been constrained by budgetary planning.

While the Township is clearly responsible to plow and salt streets in the event of a winter storm, Township residents also have a responsibility in this effort, as well. Significant snowfalls of four (4) inches or more invoke the restriction of no on-street parking. This and other efforts ensure proper snow removal and reduce potential traffic hazards. In cases of emergency the Township Public Works Department together with the Police will make special efforts to clear the way for emergency vehicles. Township administered snow removal activities represent a major effort. With the help of Township residents and the Police, radio dispatch snow plow trucks are directed to sectors throughout the Township. This coordination, weather permitting, helps insure a complete snow and ice removal effort.

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