JAN

15

SNOW AND ICE CONTROL PRACTICES IN ONTARIO

DATE: January 15, 2019

Winter maintenance crews monitor the weather conditions and plan their operations as required depending on the amount of snow, intensity and duration. Roadway and highway conditions are reported multiple times throughout the day and most weather stations are showing current conditions up to the minute. Ontario’s snow and ice control standards are consistent with best practices across North America.

Snow and ice control operations include plowing and salting which are carried out in response to a storm or any extreme weather. Priority is given to highways, main roads and bus routes, while secondary side roads and residential neighbourhoods are completed last. Plowing is the practice of staggered snow plows operating across lanes of a highway or road in one direction. It is important to keep a safe distance from plows and leave ample room for them to complete their work. Never pass a snow plow, it is extremely dangerous especially in blowing snow or white out conditions.

Managing Snow and Ice with Rock Salt

Rock salt is the most cost effective way to control ice and snow on the roads. Timely application of salt prevents snow and ice from bonding to the road surface. For this reason, road salt is often spread early in the storm to prevent snow buildup and to help in other snow removal applications. In some areas, deicing liquids may be applied directly to the pavement to minimize bonding.

At Draglam Salt, we supply various types of rock salt and deicers. For a full list of our products and to order today, please visit us at www.draglamsalt.com