Winter Minimum Maintenance Standards

In November 2011, Council of the Municipality of Bluewater approved By-law #98-2011 , being a by-law to establish winter minimum maintenance standards for municipal roadways.

In addition to adopting the minimum maintenance standards for municipal roadways, standards relating to snow accumulation and icy roadways apply to a Municipality during the season when the winter highway maintenance is being preformed. The local level of service policy should indicate when the winter highway maintenance period starts and finishes. In order to comply with legislation, by-law #98-2011 sets out the timeframe and summarizes the parameters of the winter maintenance program. Winter patrolling is about maintaining road safety for the travelling public and managing risk necessary in the defence of claims in the Courts.

In the event that winter conditions occur before or after the defined winter maintenance period, the Manager of Public Works may initiate or extend the winter maintenance period.

WINTER DRIVING

Winter Driving - Be Prepared, Be Safe!

Trucks with flashing blue lights are performing winter maintenance. Please give them room to work and pass with caution as visibility may be compromised with blowing snow. If a snowplow stops, it is
likely to back up, so please give them lots of room. You can see them, but if you are driving a small car they may not see you if you are following too closely. Do not pull in behind any vehicle with a blue flashing light!

It is not possible to plow our roads and sidewalks without blocking driveway entrances. It is the property owner's responsibility to safely clear the snow from their driveway entrance and from around their own mailbox.

Please do not plow snow over the ends of culverts as this can result in problems should a sudden thaw or rain occur.

The Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Section 181, re: "deposit of snow on roadway states" - NO PERSON SHALL DEPOSIT SNOW OR ICE ON A ROADWAY WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING TO DO SO FROM THE MINISTRY OR THE ROAD AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROAD. This means that you cannot leave ridges of snow across the road when you push snow to the other side. The ridges may freeze and become a hazard to drivers. Please be courteous and do not
deposit your snow on your neighbour's property.

DAMAGED MAILBOXES

Current policy states that the Roads Department will reimburse up to $50 for mailboxes that have been physically hit by the snowplow. Mailboxes hit by snow coming off the plow will not be replaced by the Municipality. The responsibility for maintaining mailboxes lies with the owner of the box.

Mailbox owners are required to repair their own mailboxes that have been damaged by snow impact.