Local road woes
Ontario public works chief ponders new techniques to help keep city streets clear during snow storms

KATIE PIZZA | ARGUS OBSERVER A particularly snowy section of Northwest First Street as seen Friday morning. Ontario Public Works Operations Manager John Bishop said Ontario snowplows do not take to the streets unless there is between one to three inches of snow. The city is also looking into using de-icing agents to melt ice on city streets.

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Bishop said the crews start to look at sanding and plowing the streets when the snow gets between one to three inches. Bishop said the crews do not take to the streets when there is less than an inch of snow.

“Snowplows don’t cut it clear down to the asphalt,” he said.

However, he said the city is doing the best it can to keep roads clear.

The plows travel down what he called primary and secondary routes. The primary routes, he said, are areas such as Fourth Street and Idaho Avenue. The plows then move to secondary routes such as residential roads. In a press release, Ontario Police Department Chief Mike Kee said city plows normally plow the snow from the street creating a “berm,” or barrier, in front of driveways.

“Young people should remember the elderly,” Bishop said. He added that the elderly may need help clearing the snow from the front of their driveways.

Disabled and elderly residents can obtain colored snow stakes from the city to place in their driveways and the city will remove the snow in front of the driveway. However, Kee said it is important that residents place these stakes before the first major snow storm.

Kee also said residents are responsible for removing the snow and ice from sidewalks, since some residents rely on sidewalks to move about the city. He also said the ice and snow removed must not be “plowed, pushed or otherwise placed” into city streets, onto sidewalks or another person’s property without permission. The snow must also be piled at least four feet away from fire hydrants.

Kee said vehicles should be moved off of the street to help facilitate snow removal. Unattended vehicles, which are left on the street for more than 72 hours, may be considered abandoned.

Kee also mentioned city traffic signal changes for the winter months.

Some traffic lights are switched to flashing mode to decrease the amount of unexpected stops. When a driver approaches one of these lights, Kee said the driver should come to a complete stop at the flashing red light or red arrow and proceed only when they can do so safely without interfering with cross traffic. If the flashing arrow is yellow, Kee said drivers should slow their vehicle and proceed cautiously.

Anyone with comments or questions concerning city snow removal should call the Ontario City Shop, at (541) 889-8572, during business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday).  Local road conditions can be obtained by dialing 511.