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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/24/2014 - SNOW AND ICE CONTROL PROGRAM AND SIDEWALK SNOW REMDATE: STAFF: June 24, 2014 Larry Schneider, Streets Superintendent Beth Sowder, Neighborhood Services Manager WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Snow and Ice Control Program and Sidewalk Snow Removal Compliance Update. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to review the City’s snow and ice control program and sidewalk snow removal compliance efforts. Staff will review the current snow and ice control policy and procedures, and discuss the challenges involved in maintaining safe roads and sidewalks during and after a snow event, as well as meeting community expectations and the resulting impact on available resources. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. Does Council have specific questions about current snow removal procedures, including how sidewalk snow removal is handled? 2. Does Council believe current snow removal policies in terms of roadway plowing prioritization and sidewalk compliance time limits are appropriate? 3. Does Council have feedback or specific questions regarding the City’s sidewalk snow removal compliance enforcement? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Overview Snow removal is a process that incorporates significant training efforts, high-tech data collection, innovative and environmentally sensitive de-icing materials, and a large investment in equipment and facilities. No two storms are alike and each presents unique challenges and strategies. The City of Fort Collins Streets Department has developed a nationally recognized snow and ice removal program that is often used as a model for other communities. The Streets Department snow and ice removal program covers 1,100 lane miles of city streets, 105 miles of sidewalks, as well as bike lanes, pedestrian connectors, parking lots, and the downtown area. Snow removal services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to insure a safe transportation network for emergency services, motorists, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians. This is a high profile municipal service that not only affects safe travel conditions, but access to commerce, jobs, and education. The snow removal program requires over 100 City staff members and approximately 16 contractors to maintain a 24-hour snow removal operation. To meet these staffing and equipment needs, the Streets Department collaborates with several other City departments for resources, including Traffic Operations, Parks, Light & Power, Stormwater, Water & Sewer, Fleet Services and others. Besides the Streets snow removal program, both the Parks and Natural Areas departments provide snow removal services. Combined, they utilize over 60 employees for snow removal on Downtown sidewalks, Old Town Square, 40+ parks, 35 miles of trails, 25+ natural area parking lots, and designated City parking lots and sidewalks. June 24, 2014 Page 2 Program Goals The goals of the City’s snow and ice control program are to: 1. Keep primary and secondary streets, on-street bike lanes, sidewalks and pedestrian connectors open. 2. Respond with enhanced service levels in the event that a significant snowfall impedes the mobility of the public in and around residential roads, sidewalks and bus shelters. 3. Use materials and equipment efficiently, effectively, and in an environmentally sensitive manner to help reduce the dangers of traveling in inclement weather. 4. Enforce the sidewalk snow removal regulations that require all owners or residents of private property to have ice and snow hazards cleared from public sidewalks or walkways abutting their property no later than 24 hours after a snowfall stops. 5. Communicate any delayed opening or early release decisions in advance of City functions before impending severe weather impacts the ability of residents or employees to safely arrive at their destination within the city. Operating Budget and Anticipated 2014 Shortfall The Streets Department snow removal operations have expended an average of $1.42 million a year since 2005. The current budget for 2014 is $1.3 million. Fort Collins experienced abnormally challenging 2013-2014 winter seasons. In 2014, $1.5 million has already been spent to date due to the number and severity of storms. The Streets Department will be requesting an additional appropriation of $750,000 from the Transportation Undesignated Reserve Fund in October for snow operations through the end of 2014. Adequate reserves are in place in anticipation of this need. Snow and Ice Removal Procedures A comprehensive Snow Plan Handbook is updated annually and outlines the City’s snow and ice removal procedures and policies. The Handbook is also the basis for a mandatory annual two-day snow removal operations training. During the snow season (October through the end of April) snow crews rotate duty as the “first call” crew. A Streets snow supervisor is on snow standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week to track weather conditions and respond to notifications of snow events. Working with the Fort Collins Police patrol officers and dispatchers, and utilizing an automated roadway alert system that monitors street conditions, the snow supervisor is notified when adverse conditions occur after normal work hours or on holidays and weekends. Crews are expected to respond quickly and work rotating 12-hour shifts throughout a storm event. During snowstorms, 22 plow trucks are in operation on Fort Collins streets. Twenty trucks drive pre-determined routes, while two “floater” trucks are assigned to routes where additional help may be needed or if a plow truck goes out of service. Road Snowplowing Priority City streets are prioritized in four categories: 1. Priority 1 - Arterial Streets (e.g., Prospect, College) - Priority 1 streets are considered the minimum network which must be kept open to provide a transportation system connecting hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and rescue squad units. Collectively, Priority 1 streets make up the “Snow Emergency Route”. Arterial streets are plowed curb-to-curb. 2. Priority 2 - Collector Streets (e.g., Remington, Swallow) - Priority 2 streets are selected to complete the network of major traffic volume streets. Collector streets are not plowed curb-to-curb; snow is plowed to the gutter. 3. Priority 3 - School Areas and Bus Routes - These streets include all remaining collectors, bus routes, and access to schools. Packet Pg. 3 June 24, 2014 Page 3 4. Priority 4 - Residential Streets - only plowed when snow accumulations completely block traffic movement Note: The City of Fort Collins does not normally plow residential streets for two primary reasons: 1) most snow melts within a day or two in the Fort Collins climate; and 2) this additional level of service would significantly increase costs and impact the City’s ability to perform other high-priority services. However, during significant snow events, with snowfall exceeding 12 inches, the city will strategically service neighborhood streets to address known problem areas. Also, during regular snow events, the City deploys “floater” plows to respond to requests from police and the community. Sidewalk Snow Removal Two contractor crews and one City crew provide snow removal for 105 miles of public sidewalks and 60 pedestrian connectors throughout the city. The City clears selected public sidewalks on arterial streets, collector streets, bridges, and sidewalks adjacent to City property. Public sidewalks on arterial streets are cleared once the plowing operation is complete since arterial streets are plowed from curb-to-curb to provide emergency vehicle access and to clear bike lanes. This effort means the plowed snow is deposited on the sidewalks. Clearing sidewalks before plowing is complete is not practical or efficient since they will just be re-covered with snow each time the plow comes through. Pedestrian access ramps and public sidewalks that are attached to the curb on arterial and collector streets are cleared once the streets have been fully plowed. Plowing detached sidewalks (sidewalks separated from the street curb with a median) and pedestrian connectors begins as soon as the storm is over. In some cases, when snow continues to fall and accumulation becomes heavy on sidewalks, they may be plowed several times throughout the storm. With the exception of the arterial and collector streets described above, residents and business owners are responsible for sidewalks in front of their property. Section 20-102 of the City’s Municipal Code requires that sidewalks adjacent to both residential and commercial properties be cleared of snow and ice no later than 24 hours after a snowfall ends. Property owners can be held responsible for failure to remove snow and ice. Violation of the ordinance can result in a civil citation or abatement, in which the City hires a contractor to clear the sidewalk at the property owner’s expense. Performing inspections and calling contractors requires additional time, which means some sidewalks may go unshoveled for more than 24 hours. Enforcement of the sidewalk snow removal ordinance is handled by the Code Compliance officers. See Attachment 1 for more details about the enforcement process. Code Compliance works closely with CSU, property owners, and property management companies to get the word to residents of rentals reminding them of the snow removal code requirement and the need to make arrangements if they will be out of town. The chart below shows the code compliance cases for the past five snow seasons. The biggest challenge remains the period of time that students are on winter break and many of the student rentals are unoccupied for several weeks in the winter. Unfortunately, this creates a unique challenge in reaching voluntary compliance goals. In addition to outreach efforts already in place, staff is planning to increase efforts by specifically targeting outreach to property managers when tenants might be away in an effort to improve voluntary compliance. In addition, increased outreach efforts have included social media, Coloradoan articles, Collegian paid advertisements, Neighborhood News newsletter, and CityNews. Season Complaint Cases Proactive Cases Abatements Voluntary Compliance 2009-2010 802 838 559 71% 2010-2011 383 543 219 77% 2011-2012 269 415 235 66% June 24, 2014 Page 4 2012-2013 545 311 235 73% 2013-2014 1063 337 325 77% Relatively few complaints are received about businesses; most focus on residential non-compliance. However, staff is planning on increasing outreach efforts to businesses during the 24 hour period before enforcement begins in an effort to ensure they are aware of the requirements and clear snow and ice in front of their businesses. Staff researched other communities in an effort to compare the Fort Collins sidewalk snow removal ordinance and enforcement processes with the other Colorado municipalities (See Attachment 1). Many municipalities have a similar 24 hour time period, as well as similar or more lengthy enforcement processes. At this point, staff does not recommend amending the Fort Collins snow removal code requirements or enforcement processes; however, staff will increase outreach efforts to increase voluntary compliance rates. Other Snow Removal Duties Eighteen public parking lots are cleared at night between midnight and early morning. Downtown is also cleared at night, usually the night after the storm stops. This allows time for the Parks Department to clear the Downtown sidewalks and put the snow in the street for removal by the Streets snow operations staff. In the Downtown area, snow is plowed and hauled off to a designated snow dump site (Hughes Stadium). There are approximately 480 transit stops located within the city. Contractors clear the bus stops, and the Streets Department clears the roads in front of the bus stop. Snow Removal Technology Technology is an important element of the City’s snow removal program. The City of Fort Collins was one of the first cities in Colorado to start using a “real time” Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system that tracks the actual location, speed, and plowing operation of snow plow trucks. A Global Positioning System (GPS) allows snow supervisors to track and verify snow and ice control operations for material usage, dispatching efficiency adjustments, and for liability purposes. The City of Fort Collins is one of a very few cities in Colorado with the ability to produce a de-icing product called salt brine. Salt brine can also be used as an anti-icing product. It can be applied to streets before a storm (depending on weather conditions) to help reduce hard packed snow and ice. This strategy is invaluable because it allows plows to clear the streets more efficiently. Salt brine is made up of 23.3 percent salt,10 percent Geo Melt (sugar beet juice), 10 percent calcium chloride, and water. The benefit to this product is that in can be produced on-site at a significant cost savings compared to other deicing products. The ability to manufacture salt brine was particularly important this year when suppliers could not provide the City with liquid deicers due to a national shortage. Other communities faced with this shortage resorted to using sand, which is more detrimental to air and water quality, and costly to sweep up. New in the 2013-2014 snow season is a mobile Road Weather Information System (RWIS). Like the existing static RWIS sites, this device helps to determine the level of grip on the road (coupled with the pavement temperature) and provides information to help make decisions about how much deicer to apply to the roadway. The mobile RWIS mounts on a snow supervisor’s vehicle to allow the crew chiefs to survey locations around the city and quantify our performance measurement of bare pavement in four hours after the snow stops. Environmental Management System Snow and ice control operations and sidewalk snow removal efforts support multiple travel choices that directly impact the environment. The Streets Department has initiated the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS). The purpose of the EMS is to identify aspects of all Streets operations, including snow removal, that have a significant impact on the environment. The goals of the program are: 1) prevent pollution; 2) comply with regulations; 3) continual improvement. Our EMS Team develops and oversees the program to help us meet environmental regulations through compliance audits and certification. June 24, 2014 Page 5 Challenges Sidewalks Along with plowing streets, the City clears 105 miles of sidewalks. During heavier snowfall events, clearing sidewalks on arterials within 24 hours becomes a challenge. Because snow from street plowing is deposited on these sidewalks, snow can sometimes accumulate from 2-4 feet. The snow must then be cleared using a road grader to pull it off the sidewalk and into the street for snow blowers to load into trucks and haul away. This process significantly extends the time to complete snow removal on these sidewalks. For example, during the January storms over 12” of snow fell in an extended period of time. It took three weeks to clear the sidewalks at a cost of $183,000. The challenge is having the resources to clear the sidewalks within 24 hours and the associated cost to get it done. Community Expectations The citizens of Fort Collins expect the City to have a well prepared snow plan that meets the needs of all modes of transportation to ensure that roads, bike lanes, public sidewalks, bus stops, crosswalks, pedestrian access ramps, and trails are made safe for travel as quickly as possible. They expect reliable, up-to-date information about changing conditions to help make travel decisions. They expect the City to be environmentally conscious when selecting materials for anti-icing and deicing. Balancing the high demands of the public with snow removal resources is a constant challenge. ATTACHMENTS 1. Snow and Ice Removal Program and Sidewalks Snow Removal Compliance White Paper (PDF) 2. Powerpoint presentation (PDF) 1 Memorandum Date: June 16, 2014 To: Mayor Weitkunat and City Council Members Thru: Darin Atteberry, City Manager Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager Karen Cumbo, Planning, Development and Transportation Director From: Larry Schneider, Streets Superintendent Beth Sowder, Neighborhood Services Manager Subject: Snow and Ice Control Program and Sidewalks Snow Removal Compliance ______________________________________________________________________________ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City’s official snow season begins in October and typically lasts until April. With the onset of winter, questions arise from the public regarding the City’s snow removal procedures. This memorandum provides City Council with information on the City’s snow and ice control program and sidewalk snow removal compliance. The goals of the City’s snow and ice control program include: 1. Keep primary and secondary streets, on-street bike lanes, sidewalks and pedestrian connectors open. 2. Respond with enhanced service levels in the event that a significant snowfall impedes the mobility of the public in and around residential streets, sidewalks and bus shelters. 3. Use materials and equipment efficiently and effectively to help reduce the dangers of traveling in inclement weather. 4. Enforce the sidewalk snow removal regulations that require all owners or residents of private property to have ice and snow hazards cleared from public sidewalks or walkways abutting their property no later than 24 hours after a snowfall stops (City Municipal Code Section 20-102). 5. Communicate any delayed opening or early release decisions in advance of City functions before impending severe weather impacts the ability of residents or employees to safely arrive at their destination within the city. ATTACHMENT 1 2 OVERVIEW The Streets Department snow and ice removal program covers 1,100 lane miles of city streets, 105 miles of sidewalks, as well as bike lanes, pedestrian connectors, parking lots, and the Downtown area. Snow removal services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure a safe transportation network for emergency services, motorists and transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians. This is a high profile municipal service that not only affects safe travel conditions, but access to commerce, jobs, and education. The snow and ice control program goals are achieved by having full crews available, equipment maintained and ready when needed, and providing a safe environment for employees. Each year, crews are provided with education and training on the use of snow removal materials and equipment, and plow operators are recertified on the equipment used to perform snow control operations. During the snow season each crew rotates on a bi-weekly basis as the “first call” crew. A Streets Department snow supervisor is on snow standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week to track weather conditions and respond to notification of snow events. Working with Police Services patrol officers and dispatchers, and an automated roadway alert system, the on-call snow supervisor is notified when snow conditions occur after normal work hours or on holidays and weekends. Crews are expected to respond quickly and work rotating 12-hour shifts throughout a storm event. The Natural Areas Department and the Parks Department are responsible for snow removal from Downtown sidewalks, Old Town Square, 40+ parks, 35 miles of trails, 25+ natural area parking lots, and designated City parking lots and sidewalks. A standard operating procedure guides communication and assists the City Manager’s Office with decision-making regarding City facilities and programming when a severe weather event takes place that impacts the transportation system. A conference call is conducted with the City Manager, Planning Development & Transportation Director, Community & Public Involvement Office, Police Services, Streets Superintendent, Poudre PR-1 School District, Larimer County, and Office of Emergency Management staff to assess local road conditions and make decisions based on conditions. The decision to declare a Snow Emergency or alter City functions or facility hours is made by the City Manager. During the declared Snow Emergency, vehicles parked on Priority 1 snow routes may be towed at the owner’s expense. Citizens who had vehicles towed can contact the Streets Department or Police Services for the location of their vehicle(s). 3 GENERAL SNOW REMOVAL POLICIES Fort Collins receives an average of 57” of snowfall annually. The annual snow removal budget uses this snowfall figure and the expected number of street miles to be plowed and deiced as the basis for annual allocation of funds. The City budgets for snow removal on arterial streets, collector streets, bike lanes, Downtown, school routes, sidewalks and public parking lots. Residential streets are not included in the allocation analysis. With an average of 14 storms per year, plowing residential streets would overwhelmingly exceed the current yearly budget. During snowstorms, 22 plow trucks operate on Fort Collins streets. Twenty trucks drive predetermined routes, while two “floater” trucks are assigned to routes where additional help is needed or if a plow truck goes out of service. Nine trucks distribute a liquid deicer and eleven spreader trucks distribute granular materials. Two trucks have a dual system to distribute either liquid or granular materials. Two pickup plow trucks and a loader are used to clean snow from City parking lots and handicap parking spaces in the Downtown area between 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. The City clears selected public sidewalks on arterial streets, collector streets, bridges, and sidewalks adjacent to City property. Two contractor crews and one City crew clear 105 miles of sidewalks and 60 pedestrian connectors throughout the city. Plowing of sidewalks and pedestrian access ramps along arterials starts after the snow has stopped and the roads are cleared. Communication The Streets Department understands the importance of keeping the public informed about snow operations. Snow and ice control program information is made available each year in news releases, a utility bill insert, the City’s snow brochure, and on www.fcgov.com under “Snow Removal.” The City’s snow brochure is provided to residents who request additional information, and includes information on the snow and ice program and answers to commonly asked questions about snow operations. Social media, including Facebook and Twitter, are important communication tools utilized to reach citizens to provide updates on road conditions. These sites disseminate critical information and are constantly updated throughout the course of a storm. The Streets Department constantly seeks ways to improve services provided to the community and welcomes creative, constructive ideas from citizens and other City departments. Through cooperation and input from a variety of sources, an effective and thorough snow removal communication strategy is continually improved. 4 Road Snowplowing Priority City streets are prioritized in four categories: 1. Priority 1 – Arterial Streets (e.g. Prospect, College) – Priority 1 streets are considered the minimum network which must be kept open to provide a transportation system connecting hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and rescue squad units. Collectively, Priority 1 streets make up the “Snow Emergency Route.” Arterials are plowed curb-to- curb. 2. Priority 2 – Collector Streets (e.g. Remington, Swallow) – Priority 2 streets are selected to complete the network of major traffic volume streets. Collector streets are not plowed curb-to-curb; snow is plowed to the gutter. 3. Priority 3 – School Areas and Bus Routes – These streets include all remaining collectors, bus routes, and access to schools. Priority 3 streets are plowed to the gutter. 4. Priority 4 – Residential Streets – only plowed when snow accumulations completely block traffic movement. Note: The City of Fort Collins does not normally plow residential streets for two primary reasons: 1) most snow melts within a day or two in the Fort Collins climate; and 2) this additional level of service would significantly increase costs and impact the City’s ability to perform other high-priority services. However, during significant snow events, with snowfall exceeding 12 inches, the City will strategically service neighborhood streets to address known problem areas. Also, during regular snow events, the City deploys “floater” plows to respond to requests from police and the community. Please see Appendix 1: Snow Route Map. Preparing for the Snow Season Snow and ice control is a complex and demanding job requiring a wide and varied assortment of skills and experiences. Due to the diversity, irregularity, and unpredictability of the job, the Streets Department conducts an annual two-day training session each fall, ensuring that all employees involved in snow and ice removal operations are trained and educated about all aspects of operational procedures. Discussion of problems encountered during the last snow/ice season and annual updates to the Snow and Ice Handbook are one component of the training. Other areas of discussion include: 1) collaboration with Police Services and other City departments; 2) how and when to use de-icing materials; and 3) Emergency Operations. As part 5 of the training, new employees ride with an experienced driver during an early-season snow storm to ensure readiness and proficiency. Pre-Storm Meeting If a storm is indicated by one of the weather service providers, a pre-storm meeting is scheduled. The meeting is typically held a day prior to the storm and crew chiefs, supervisors, and other personnel discuss preemptive actions to combat the storm. This meeting serves as a critical briefing of weather conditions, where strategies are planned for staffing, equipment readiness, anti-icing, plowing, and deicing. Preparing ahead of time allows for a more effective response to maintain safety in the community. Anti-Icing Anti-icing is a proactive approach to winter street maintenance. It involves plow trucks spraying salt brine on the roadways before a snowstorm. It forms a bond breaker between the pavement surface and the snow and ice layer, which facilitates melting the snow and reduces the chance that ice will form and bond to the surface. It is similar to how cooking oil prevents food from sticking to the frying pan. Anti-icing reduces the amount of time required to restore the streets to a clear, dry state. Effective anti-icing is dependent upon having the right amount of anti-icing liquid in the right place at the right time. Applying anti-icing liquids to the roadways is generally the most effective approach to prevent icy and snow-packed streets. Many factors that help determine if anti-icing will be effective, including air temperature, wind speed, precipitation type and intensity, current pavement conditions and location. The Streets Department uses these factors in an advanced weather forecasting system, as well as the experience of our maintenance crews, to determine when and where to anti-ice. Although salt can be corrosive to vehicles, the salt brine for anti-icing has the addition of a sugar beet by-product that reduces the corrosiveness of the salt brine. Test results from an independent lab showed that the sugar beet by-product and salt brine mixture is only one-third as corrosive as salt. Plowing Snow plowing plays a very important piece in keeping roads safe and reducing the amount of deicing material needed throughout a storm. Instead of attempting to melt the snow using only deicer, plowing the snow off the street requires less deicer material to keep the road surface safe. 6 Snow plowing operations begin when snow starts to accumulate on the roadway and run 24 hours around the clock. The goal is to achieve bare pavement. Typically on snow routes, plow trucks will operate in teams. Team plowing may consist of two or more plows operating together to provide for the removal of snow from the street between the centerline and the curb line in one pass. This eliminates the need to make repeated passes to plow the street to the curb line. On some streets when one snow plow is used, it may be necessary to make two or more passes in each direction to completely clear the street of accumulated snow. Not every snow event is the same, and therefore, not every snow plowing effort is the same. With minor snowfalls, all snow routes will be plowed within 4-6 hours. Heavy snowfall, or one prolonged storms over 1-4 days (or longer), may require additional help from contractors. Streets will not plow or clear snow or ice from private property unless necessary to allow emergency vehicles access for Fire, Police, or Emergency Management Service calls. Deicing If an assigned snow route has any hot spots (bridges, hills, certain intersections), a thorough application of deicing material shall be applied before starting work on the assigned route. Bridges will receive early attention since they freeze well before roads. Safe, clear intersections are critical for smooth, uninterrupted traffic flow. Material Storage Deicing material is stored at the Street Department Deicing Facility, a one-of-a-kind facility in the country. The facility was built in 2006 and has the capacity to store 10,000 tons of granular material and 210,000 gallons of liquid. It is inspected regularly to ensure that the desired level of cleanliness, appearance, and integrity is maintained, and that solid materials are properly stored to prevent the release of materials into the environment. Wireless tracking technology enables the usage of material to be monitored and analyzed for future storms. In 2008 the Deicing Facility was one of ten agencies in the country to receive the “Excellence in Storage” Award. The award recognized the high standards of best management practices, environmental consciousness, and effective management of winter material storage. The facility has continued to receive this award every year since, including 2014. Stored materials include: Salt Brine - Blended 23.3% salt to water, 8-10% calcium chloride, and 8-10% Geomelt (by-product of sugar beet juice) 7 Apex Meltdown - This liquid product is the City’s primary deicer. The product base is a corrosion inhibitor that is derived from organic polymers blended with a 30 percent concentrate of magnesium chloride. Ice Ban 305 – The product base is a corrosion inhibitor that is derived from corn and a 25 percent concentrate of magnesium chloride. When Apex is unavailable, Ice Ban 305 is used as a substitute. Ice Buster - This is the City’s primary granular product, also known as sodium chloride or salt. Before it is used on our roadways, it is pre-wetted with Apex Meltdown or Ice Ban 305 to reduce corrosion. Apogee - Unlike many non-chloride products, Apogee is not acetate based, making it the perfect product for areas where acetates are prohibited. It can be used for anti-icing, deicing, and pre-wetting. The City of Fort Collins is one of a very few cities in Colorado with the ability to produce salt brine. During national deicing material shortages in the winter season of 2013-2014, the Streets Department was able to maintain its own supply of deicer and continue with normal procedures. Other communities faced with this shortage resorted to using sand, which is more detrimental to air and water quality and costly to sweep up. Snow Removal of Sidewalks Public sidewalks on arterial streets are cleared once the plowing operation is complete since arterial streets are plowed from curb-to-curb to provide emergency vehicle access and to clear bike lanes. This effort means the plowed snow is deposited on the sidewalks. Clearing sidewalks before plowing is finished is not practical or efficient since they will just be re-covered with snow each time the plow comes through. Pedestrian access ramps and public sidewalks that are attached to the curb on arterial and collector streets are cleared once the streets have been fully plowed. Plowing detached sidewalks (sidewalks separated from the street curb with a median) and pedestrian connectors begin as soon as the storm is over. In some cases, when snow continues to fall and accumulation becomes heavy on sidewalks, they may be plowed several times throughout the storm. The goal is to clear all sidewalks 24 hours after the storm is over. Downtown Snow Removal Fort Collins has a very vibrant Downtown area with events year round. Planning, coordinating, and communication are essential components for snow removal. The timing of the operation is critical. First pedestrian access ramps and sidewalks are cleared by the Parks Department and the Streets Department. Then snow cleanup is scheduled the second night after the storm has ended. 8 Downtown snow removal is performed during the hours of 12 a.m.-8 a.m. to avoid impeding all modes of transportation. Graders, snow blowers, and loaders are used to load and haul snow to a designated dump site (Hughes Stadium). Despite the “No Parking” signs that are posted, parked cars remain the biggest challenge with Downtown snow removal. Parked cars prevent crews from removing snow and ice, which creates safety hazards and blocks drainage. Night work attempts to allow for safe and efficient operations that benefit the public. Please see Appendix 2: Downtown Snow Removal Map. Snow Emergencies In severe winter conditions, when vehicles disrupt snow removal efforts on high priority routes, the City Manager may declare a Snow Emergency. Local media will be contacted immediately to inform the public. Citizens will be urged to drive only in emergency cases. Vehicles parked on the Priority 1 snow routes may be towed at the owners’ expense. Citizens who have their vehicles towed can contact the Streets Department or Police Services. When the Snow Emergency ends, local media will be informed. Please see Appendix 3: Emergency Snow Removal Routes Map, and Appendix 4: City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 24-96. Snow Emergency. BUDGET Each year, the Streets Department budget accounts for snow and ice control operations for normal weather patterns and events. The adopted 2014 budget for snow and ice control is $1.3 million. Figure 1 below shows the Total Cost Per Calendar Year for Snow Operations. Figure 1, Total Cost per Calendar Year for Snow Operations (as of 6/12/14) Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Cost per year 1,249,150 1,757,387 1,378,468 1,386,401 1,150,806 1,833,274 1,502,490 9 The Streets Department’s snow removal operations have expended an average of $1.42 million a year since 2005. The current budget for 2014 is $1.3 million. Fort Collins experienced an abnormally challenging 2013-2014 winter season. As a result, $1.5 million has already been spent year-to-date due to the number and severity of storms. The Streets Department will be requesting an additional appropriation of $750,000 from the Transportation Undesignated Reserve Fund in October for snow operations through the end of 2014. Adequate reserves are in place in anticipation of this need. Operational Efficiencies The Streets Department snow removal program requires over 100 City staff members and approximately 16 contractors to maintain a 24-hour snow removal operation. To meet these staffing and equipment needs, the Streets Department collaborates with several other City departments for resources, including Traffic Operations, Parks, Natural Areas, Light & Power, Stormwater, Water & Sewer, Fleet Services and others. This allows the city to “staff up” for snow events without hiring more personnel. The Parks Department has two crews of over 50 employees to remove snow in two shifts on weekdays and one crew to cover snow removal over the weekends. The Parks Department is responsible for the following areas: Downtown corners, Old Town Square, renovated Downtown alleys, all City building sidewalks, designated City building parking lots, all Recreation facilities, 31 miles of trails, six community parks, and 36 neighborhood parks. Parks partners with Poudre School District for snow removal on sidewalks in parks adjacent to schools. as of 6/3/2014 Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Cost per year 1,249,150.49 1,757,386.50 1,378,468.37 1,386,400.70 1,150,806.07 1,833,274.35 1,502,489.76 $0 $200,000 $400,000 $600,000 $800,000 $1,000,000 $1,200,000 $1,400,000 $1,600,000 $1,800,000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Cost per year 10 The Natural Areas Department utilizes up to 12 crew members to clear snow from parking lots and facilities. All snow removal operations conducted by Natural Areas occur within 24 hours of receiving two inches or more of snow. Natural Areas hires a contractor to plow 1.3 miles of sidewalks, one mile of paved trails, and one asphalt parking lot on nine sites in the natural areas. On-site Natural Areas Rangers plow and shovel on three sites, including six gravel parking areas, an entrance road, and .4 miles for paved trails. Natural Areas field crews plow and shovel the remaining 0.1 mile of sidewalks, 2.1 miles paved trails, and 22 parking lots on 17 natural areas. Natural Areas does not plow snow from natural surface trails. There are approximately 480 transit stops located within the city. Contractors clear the bus stops, and the Streets Department clears the roads in front of the bus stop. TECHNOLOGY The Streets Department is a leader in advanced technology systems. Up-to-date technology provides the city with reliable resources to ensure safety and effectiveness. Forecast Weather information is essential for preparing for snow and ice control operations and other weather-related emergencies. An effective weather service provides critical information about the storm sufficiently in advance so that plans and preparations can be made. The Streets Department utilizes several forecasting sources during the snow and ice season: AccuWeather, the National Weather Service, Iteris, and DayWeather. These services provide weather information to help determine what impact present and forthcoming weather will have on overall operations. Both AccuWeather and the National Weather Service provide on-screen tracking of weather systems that could affect road conditions, whereas Iteris and DayWeather are localized systems. In the event of potential severe weather DayWeather sends out an e-mail alert to snow supervisors, notifying them of the current conditions. These systems prepare crews to take appropriate actions during snow operations. Road Conditions To maximize the effectiveness of control efforts and to reduce costs, the Streets Department uses Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) for snow and ice control. RWIS collects and transmits weather and road condition data, then sends alerts when adverse conditions develop. RWIS stations are located at fixed points like traffic signals. The newest RWIS tool is a mobile unit mounted on a snow supervisor’s vehicle to allow crew chiefs to survey locations while gathering critical information relating to road conditions. This technology helps in determining 11 the level of grip on the road and assists with decisions about how much deicer to apply to the roadway. Components of the RWIS include meteorological sensors, pavement sensors, site- specific forecasts, temperature profiles of streets, a weather advisor, communications, and planning. The RWIS can maximize the effectiveness of deicing and plowing efforts by pinpointing and prioritizing streets that need attention. It can also eliminate unnecessary staff call-outs and improve scheduling of crews based on estimates of the extent and severity of the storm. Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) System The Streets Department was one of the first cities in the state to start using a “real time” Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system to track the actual location, speed and plowing operation of the snow routes. The Global Positioning System (GPS) allows supervisors to track and verify snow and ice control operations for material usage, and for liability purposes. The Streets Department uses AVL to manage snow operation productivity by accessing the historic tracking data. Citizen claims and potential litigation can easily be investigated through AVL since the system has the ability to provide specific data on every vehicle. The AVL system has saved the Streets Department from unnecessarily spending money. As an example, review of post-storm data showed that after snow gets packed down, it costs more in deicing material, fuel, and labor to clear the streets. The Streets Department discovered that it is far more cost efficient to hire contractors to assist City crews early in the snowstorm before the snow is packed down. DATA Cityworks Streets Department staff utilizes a specialized software program (Cityworks) to capture data regarding snow removal. The program is designed to store information regarding all Streets operations including snow removal operations. Citizens often call the Streets Department with questions about plowing and snow operations or to request assistance. Requests, questions, and concerns are entered into the program as service requests and are immediately dispatched to supervisors. Figure 2 below refers to the number of snow related requests that occurred in the past three snow seasons. During the 2013-2014 season there was an increased amount of service requests due to extreme low temperatures where ice had built up on streets and sidewalks. 12 Figure 2, Service Requests for Past Seasons Snow Season Number of Requests Regarding Snow Operations October 2011-April 2012 275 October 2012-April 2013 252 October 2013-April 2014 501 This software is also used to track the cost of labor, equipment, and material during the snow operations of every storm, and is only one of the many data collecting resources the Streets Department uses that also assists in evaluating snow performance. The ability to retrieve and review data helps determine the effectiveness of the crew’s response. Since snow storms are not all the same, each requires different equipment and material to properly restore safety for the public. Figure 3 below refers to the number of miles plowed and anti-icing material used during the past two snow seasons. During the 2013-2014 season there was a significant increase in miles plowed, gallons of liquid used, and tons of granular material used due to the number of snow events, accumulation and extreme cold temperatures. Figure 3, Past Snow Seasons Snow Season Miles Plowed Gallons of Liquid Used Tons of Granular Material Used October 2012-April 2013 20,343 325,964 1,038 October 2013-April 2014 37,634 604,379 1,743 ENVIRONMENTAL Sustainable Snowfighting During granular and liquid deicing applications, certain best management practices can produce significant environmental benefits. The amount of granular material applied is regulated to prevent over-applying materials to streets and decrease runoff concentrations. The snowplow trucks are equipped with ground speed-control devices for spreaders that aid operators with the proper application of granular and liquid material. Operators are trained to use the “Auto” mode for dispensing material for proper application. The Streets Department works closely with the deicing industry to find the best products that support public safety and environmental accountability. All of the deicing materials meet the standards of the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Association, an organization that seeks to 13 evaluate and establish deicing material specifications for the industry. Additionally, the City routinely monitors water quality samples within the city and submits deicing material samples to local laboratories for testing. The Streets Department does not use 100% magnesium chloride or sand because of the detrimental effects to air quality and the environment. Streets continuously tests new products, as they become available, for the safety of the community while also placing an extremely high value on environmental protection and cost considerations. The City has also invested in environmental testing of deicing materials through Colorado State University and the Colorado Department of Transportation's deicing material environmental impact studies. Environmental Management System Snow and ice control operations and sidewalk snow removal efforts support multiple travel choices that directly impact the environment. The Streets Department has initiated the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS). The purpose of the EMS is to identify aspects of all Streets operations, including snow removal, that have a significant impact on the environment. The goals of the program are: 1) prevent pollution; 2) comply with regulations; and 3) continual improvement. The EMS Team develops and oversees the program to help the Streets Department meet environmental regulations through compliance audits and certification. CODE COMPLIANCE SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL Please see Appendix 5: City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 20-100 through Sec. 20-107. Sidewalks. The City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Section 20-102 requires that sidewalks adjacent to both residential and commercial properties be cleared of snow and ice no later than 24 hours after a snowfall ends. Property owners can be held responsible for failure to remove snow and ice. Violation of the ordinance can result in a civil citation or abatement, where the City hires a contractor to clear the sidewalk at the property owner’s expense. This creates an issue where walkways may not be shoveled within the 24 hour limit, since performing inspections and calling contractors requires additional time. It is important to remember that unshoveled sidewalks are common. Enforcement of the sidewalk snow removal ordinance is handled by the Code Compliance officers - 4 full-time and 1 seasonal. They dedicate 100% of their time to sidewalk snow removal enforcement for the days following a snow storm in order to respond to as many complaints and to conduct proactive patrols as possible. 14 If sidewalks remain unshoveled, a courtesy notice of violation is posted on the front door of the property in violation. Once a courtesy notice is posted the property owner has until 8 a.m. the following morning to have the walk shoveled. Code Compliance will put a courtesy notice on the property the first time it is found in violation but not for subsequent storms during the same season. The City will send a contractor to those properties that do not comply and an invoice will be sent to the owner. For properties that have already received a courtesy notice and again fail to clear the sidewalk, no notice is given and a contractor is sent to clear the snow. The address will be added to a list that is forwarded daily to a contractor for abatement of the hazardous condition. The property owner is then billed for all snow removal charges and assessed an administrative fee. A challenge to note is that sometimes it is difficult for the contractor(s) hired by the City to clear all the sidewalks in violation on the day following the inspections. This can cause a slight delay in getting the hazard removed. It is also challenging to have more contractors available because of the uncertain nature of this type of work. Code Compliance is reviewing their options for more contractors to be available for sidewalk snow removal. Since this work is then billed to the property owners where violations occur, there are no budget implications. The chart below shows the code compliance cases for the past five snow seasons. The biggest challenge remains the period of time that students are on winter break and many of the student rentals are unoccupied for several weeks in the winter. Unfortunately, this creates a unique challenge in reaching voluntary compliance goals. Because of this challenge, significant outreach efforts have already been put in place, and staff will increase efforts by specifically targeting outreach to property managers when tenants might be away in an effort to improve voluntary compliance. This will be done with an email to all known property managers at the beginning of each storm reminding them about sidewalk snow removal requirements. In addition, increased outreach efforts have included social media, Coloradoan articles, Collegian paid advertisements, Neighborhood News newsletter, and CityNews. Figure 4 below shows Code Compliance cases for the past five snow seasons. Figure 4, Past Five Seasons for Code Compliance Season Complaint Cases Proactive Cases Abatements Voluntary Compliance 2009-2010 802 838 559 71% 2010-2011 383 543 219 77% 2011-2012 269 415 235 66% 2012-2013 545 311 235 73% 2013-2014 1063 337 325 77% 15 Relatively few complaints are received about businesses; most focus on residential non- compliance. However, staff is planning on increasing outreach efforts to businesses during the 24 hour period before enforcement begins in an effort to ensure they are aware of the requirements and clear snow and ice in front of their businesses. Code Compliance researched other communities in an effort to compare the Fort Collins sidewalk snow removal ordinance and enforcement processes with other Colorado municipalities. Many municipalities have a similar 24 hour time period, as well as similar or more lengthy enforcement processes. At this point, Code Compliance does not recommend amending the Fort Collins snow removal code requirements or enforcement processes; however, staff will increase outreach efforts to improve voluntary compliance rates. Please see Appendix 6: Sidewalk Codes in Various Jurisdictions 16 Appendix 1 Snow Route Priority Map Appendix 2 Downtown Snow Removal Map Appendix 3 Emergency Snow Removal Route Appendix 4 City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 24-96. Snow Emergency Appendix 5 City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 20-100 through Sec. 20-107. Sidewalks Appendix 6 Sidewalk Codes in Various Jurisdictions 17 18 19 20 Appendix 4 City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 24-96. Snow Emergency. Sec. 24-96. Snow emergency. (a) Whenever the City Manager, upon consultation with his or her staff, finds and so determines that, due to falling snow, sleet, freezing rain or a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau of weather conditions that so warrant, the City Manager is hereby authorized to declare the existence of a snow emergency. (b) The City Manager shall provide announcements to local radio and television stations declaring a snow emergency to exist and to describe the action to be taken by the City. There shall be included in such announcement the time that parking prohibitions are to become effective pursuant to this Section. Where feasible, such announcement shall be disseminated to a newspaper having a general circulation within the City. (c) Upon the declaration of the existence of a snow emergency, parking of motor vehicles shall be prohibited on all streets designated as snow emergency routes. For the purposes of this Section, snow emergency routes shall consist of those streets or portions of streets within the City as designated in the Snow Removal Handbook of the City of Fort Collins. On each street or portion of street upon which parking is allowed and which is designated as a snow emergency route, the City Engineer shall post at reasonable intervals special traffic signs indicating by the appropriate symbol or wording that the street or portion of the street has been designated as a snow emergency route. There shall be no parking whatsoever on any roadway or contiguous shoulder of any state highway or connection link within the City during the times and at the places where snow removal operations are in progress. (d) Whenever any vehicle, except an emergency vehicle, is found standing, attended or unattended, upon a snow emergency route in violation of this Section, the City Engineer shall without delay and at the owner's expense take action to have the vehicle towed or otherwise removed from the snow emergency route. (e) Whenever the City Manager finds that some or all of the conditions which gave rise to the snow emergency no longer exist, the City Manager may declare the termination of the emergency, in part or in whole, effective immediately upon announcement. In the absence of any such announcement, whenever the entire roadway of any snow emergency route is substantially clear of snow from curb to curb, the snow emergency shall be deemed to be terminated, and the normally permitted parking of vehicles shall be automatically authorized. (Code 1972, §§ 95-73, 95-93—95-97; Ord. No. 222, 1998, § 3, 12-15-98; Ord. No. 137, 2009, 1- 5-10) 21 Appendix 5 City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Sec. 20-100 through Sec. 20-107. Sidewalks Sec. 20-100. Nuisance declared and prohibited; penalty The placement, moving or transporting of snow by any person from privately owned property that is not used for residential purposes onto any street or right-of-way (as that term is defined in § 20-61 of this Chapter) is hereby declared to constitute a nuisance as a snow obstruction and a hazard to the public health and safety. No person shall place, move or transport, or cause any other person to place, move or transport, snow from privately owned property that is not used for residential purposes onto any street or right-of-way (as that term is defined in § 20-61 of this Chapter). Any person who violates any provision of this Article commits a civil infraction and is subject to the penalty provisions of Subsection 1-15(f). Sec. 20-101. Removal by City (a) The City Manager may, upon the discovery of any such placement, moving or transporting of snow onto a street or right-of-way, immediately have the hazard corrected by removal of such snow from such street or right-of-way; and the cost of such removal, including the cost of inspection and other incidental costs in connection therewith, including the costs for carrying charges and costs of administration, shall be assessed against the property abutting upon or adjacent to the snow obstruction and the owner thereof. (b) If the property owner contests the declaration of nuisance and/or the assessment of costs, he or she shall file a written request with the Neighborhood Services Manager, within ten (10) days from the service of a notice of assessment, a written request for a hearing before the Referee. (c) Any cost assessment shall be a lien in the several amounts assessed against each property from the date the assessment became due until paid and shall have priority over all other liens, except general taxes and prior special assessment liens. Any such assessment shall be billed by the Neighborhood Services Manager, or his or her designee, to the owner by deposit in the United States mail addressed to the owner of record at the address as shown on the tax rolls or such other, more recent address as may be available to the City, and to any agents, representatives or occupants as may be known. If any such assessment is not paid within thirty (30) days after it has been billed, the Financial Officer, or his or her designee, is hereby authorized to thereafter certify to the County Treasurer the list of delinquent assessments so billed, giving the name of the owner as it appears of record, the number of the lot and block and the amount of the assessment plus a ten-percent penalty. The certification shall be the same in substance and form as required for the certification of other taxes. The County Treasurer, upon receipt of such certified list, is hereby authorized to place it upon the tax list for the current year 22 and to collect the assessment in the same manner as general property taxes are collected together with any charges as may by law be made by the County Treasurer and all laws of the State for the assessment and collection of general taxes, including the laws for the sale of property for unpaid taxes and the redemption thereof, shall apply to and have full force and effect for the collection of all such assessments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the offending property is not subject to taxation, the City may elect alternative means to collect the amounts due pursuant to this Article, including the commencement of an action at law or in equity and, after judgment, pursue such remedies as are provided by law. Sec. 20-102. Removal of snow and ice from sidewalks required The owners or occupants of property abutting sidewalks within the City shall at all times keep the sidewalks abutting the lot or lots owned or occupied by them free and clear of snow and ice. If any such owners or occupants shall fail to remove the snow and ice from the sidewalks abutting their property within twenty-four (24) hours after the accumulation of snow and ice, then the City Manager may at once have the hazard corrected by removal of snow and ice from the sidewalk or by the application of abrasive material; and the cost, including inspection and other incidental costs in connection therewith, including the cost for carrying charges and costs of administration, shall be assessed against the property abutting the snow obstruction and the owner thereof. Sec. 20-103. Violations and penalties Any person who violates any provision of this Article or § 20-102 above commits a civil infraction and is subject the penalty provisions of Subsection 1-15(f.) Sec. 20-107. Parking space obstructions The obstruction of parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities is hereby declared a nuisance and is prohibited. No person shall deposit, place or pile any snow, ice, litter or other materials onto any parking space which is identified for use by persons with disabilities. 23 Appendix 6 Sidewalk Code in Various Jurisdictions Jurisdiction Code Allowance to Correct Complaint or Proactive Process for Enforcement Penalty Comments Boulder 24 hours 1 warning per address per season Abate and bill for cost plus admin fee Aurora 24 hours(unless CM declares emergency, then 48) Complaint only but will also write up vicinity 1 warning per address per season, then a notice with a $25 fee ($50 for businesses). Re- inspect after 24hrs, then another admin fee. On 3rd day if still not cleared will have abated and bill owner Up to 2 $25 fees then abatement and billing Westminster 24 hours after snow stops Both but proactive only with habitual violators. Post property then re-inspect after 24 hrs. Either $150 Administr ative Citation, 24 Parker 48 hours Complaint only but will also write up vicinity Courtesy notice with 24 hrs to comply. If no compliance give a final notice of violation with additional 24 hrs Summons Pueblo 8am if accumulated during night. 2 hrs if accumulated during day Summons to Muni court Very little enforcement due to lack of manpower. Use social media and other media outlets to remind residents. Greeley 24 hours Post with warning additional 24 hrs. Abate by contractor. Bill for cost of work plus 20% and $50 admin fee Fountain No code Durango 24 hours Notice placed on door Abate and bill for cost plus admin fee Sheridan 24 hours Notice of violation issued, Admin citation or summons Generally a reminder works 99% of time Broomfield As promptly as possible and no later 25 Steamboat Springs Immediately and continually Nov 20-April 15 Verbal warning first then Notice To Abate City clears walks and bills owner cost plus 20% and can end in court with fines up to $999 per day Lakewood 24 hours Complaint only Enforced by Public Works (Engineering). Leave a notice. Could be citation or summons In 26 years have never written a ticket or abated. Have handled 104 complaints this season. Englewood 12 hours Option of written violation notice, (then summons), directly to summons or if vacant abate. Loveland 24 hours Complaint only, but will also write up vicinity or obvious ones. Also in school zones. Enforced by police. Place notice at property, door hanger. Re-inspect then call # from utility billing. Make every effort to 26 Denver 24 hours residential/ 4 hours business Complaint mostly but proactive if can. Get a lot of complaints Post notice on door Re-inspect after 24 hrs. If not corrected, issue admin citation for $150. Have additional 15 days to comply before 2nd citation 1 Snow and Ice Control Program Update Larry Schneider, Streets Superintendent Beth Sowder, Neighborhood Services Manager ATTACHMENT 2 2 Snow Removal Program Goals • Keep priority streets, on-street bike lanes, sidewalks and pedestrian connectors open. • Respond when conditions impede mobility around residential roads, sidewalks and bus shelters. • Use resources effectively to reduce the danger of traveling in inclement weather. • Enforce the sidewalk snow removal regulations. • Communicate delayed openings or early release of City functions in a timely manner. 3 Snow Removal Program Overview • Fort Collins averages 14 storms annually • Snow removal responsibilities: • 221 centerline miles of road • 1,100 lane miles • 105 miles of sidewalk • 60 pedestrian connectors • 6 miles bike trail/Mason Trail • 280+ miles of on-street bike lane • 18 public parking lots • Downtown area 4 Snow Operations Resources • 22 snow plows • Round-the-clock operations – 100+ trained staff – 16 contractors – 12-hour shifts • 5 Code Compliance Officers – Monday-Friday – 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5 Snow Operations Resources • Streets Department crews assisted by: – Traffic Operations – Parks – Light and Power – Stormwater – Water and Sewer – Fleet Services 6 Snow Removal Procedure Priority Streets • Priority 1 (Red) – Arterial streets • Priority 2 (Blue) - Collector streets • Priority 3 (Green) – School areas and bus routes • Priority 4 (Black) - Residential streets 7 N Overland Trl S County Road 5 N Shields St S L e may Ave S Overland T rl S College Ave S County Road 19 N Taft H i ll R d N County Road 5 E County Road 48 S County Road 11 E County Road 52 S US Highway 287 E County R oad 30 E Drake Rd W Trilby Rd W Vine Dr W Douglas Rd E Horsetooth Rd N Timberline Rd E Harmo n y Rd E County Road 50 W C o unty Road 3 8 E N Lemay Ave W Elizabeth St E Douglas Rd W Prospect Rd St a te Highway 392 E Trilby Rd E Vine D r S Taft Hill Rd E P rospect Rd 8 • Deicing facility and materials – Granular capacity: 10,000 tons – Liquid deicer capacity: 210,000 gallons – 2008-2014 Excellence in Storage Award 9 Deicing Materials • Deicing reduces injury accidents by 88% • City tests new products to mitigate environmental impacts • Currently use: • Apex Meltdown • Ice Buster • Salt Brine 10 Cutting Edge Technology • Road Weather Information System (RWIS) • Mobile sensor unit • Automated vehicle locating • Roadway spray systems • Storage Facility • Spreaders • Innovative plow bits 11 N Overland Trl S County Road 5 N Shields St S L e may Ave S Overland T rl S College Ave S County Road 19 N Taft H i ll R d N County Road 5 E County Road 48 S County Road 11 E County Road 52 S US Highway 287 E County R oad 30 E Drake Rd W Trilby Rd W Vine Dr W Douglas Rd E Horsetooth Rd N Timberline Rd E Harmo n y Rd E County Road 50 W C o unty Road 3 8 E N Lemay Ave W Elizabeth St E Douglas Rd W Prospect Rd St a te Highway 392 E Trilby Rd E Vine D r S Taft Hill Rd E P rospect Rd 12 Sidewalk Snow Removal Goals • Safety and accessibility for pedestrians • City clears public sidewalks and access ramps once plowing operation is complete • Education about snow removal requirements 13 Sidewalk Snow Removal Compliance • Section 20-102 requires removal from sidewalk within 24 hours after snowfall • Citizens responsible for expense if not compliant within 24 hours • Education and outreach to CSU, landlords and property managers • Adopt-A-Neighbor program • Proactively enforced by Code Compliance 14 Unshoveled Sidewalk Cases • Complaint Cases • Proactive Cases • Abatements 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 15 Voluntary Code Compliance 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 • Voluntary Compliance • Compliance Target Voluntary Compliance % 16 Snow Removal Challenges • Weather • Amount of snow • Duration and back to back storms • Temperatures and wind • Resources • City equipment and staff • Contractors • Managing expectations 17 Total Cost Per Calendar Year for Snow Operations $0 $200,000 $400,000 $600,000 $800,000 $1,000,000 $1,200,000 $1,400,000 $1,600,000 $1,800,000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Cost per year 18 Total Inches of Snow per Calendar Year 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 19 2014 Snow Budget Update • 11 storms January-May 2014 • $1.3 million 2014 budget • $1.5 million current budget expended to date • Request use of Transportation Fund Undesignated Reserves this fall 20 Direction Sought From Council • Does Council have specific questions about current snow removal procedures, including how sidewalk snow removal is handled? • Does Council believe current snow removal policies in terms of roadway plowing prioritization and sidewalk compliance time limits are appropriate? • Does Council have feedback or specific questions regarding the City’s sidewalk snow removal compliance enforcement? W Drake Rd Laporte Ave S Shields St W Mulberry St W Horsetooth Rd Sidewalks and Pedestrian Access Ramps •N W Drake Rd Laporte Ave S Shields St W Mulberry St W Horsetooth Rd Route 1 Route 2 Route 3 Route 4 Route 5 Route 6 Route 7 Route 8 Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3 •N Eight Routes contact resident Abate and bill for cost plus admin fee Most comply when get notice but for noncompliant may get ticket but doesn't seem like they ever do that. Seems like they would prefer to have Code Enf. enforce. Every officer is different. Only 4-5 tickets each year. than noon the day following the snowfall Notice on property or letter Summons to Muni Court after pattern of repeated violations Longmont 24 hours Door hanger reminder, re-inspect next day if no compliance send Notice of Violation. No penalty for non- complianc e at this time summons to muni court or abate and bill owner Adams County Send notice 1st class mail. 14 days to comply Summons Centennial No code Have a "Snow Hero" program that recognizes those who are shoveling within 24 hrs Firestone 24 hours