The 2018/2019 winter season has experienced a number of rain events and with the increasing frequency of mixed winter weather, the Town would like to remind residents and visitors to drive according to the road conditions and to be mindful of changing weather conditions. Special attention should be given when travelling on gravel roads as they may be ice covered which results in reduced traction.
To help remove ice from gravel roads, the Town dispatches heavy equipment graders to ‘ice-blade’ the affected gravel roads. The ice-blade carves a grooved pattern onto the road or snow-covered surface which provides significantly better tire traction. However, since the ice is generally caused by rain, the Town typically waits until the rain has finished before ice-blading occurs; otherwise, no progress would be made as the gravel roads would refreeze once the grader has passed.
In addition to ice-blading, the Town spot sands on hills, curves and intersections where required based on the local conditions. However, ice-blading is generally required before the sanding trucks can operate. The sand mixture contains 7% salt which may be applied to both gravel and paved roads. Using straight salt is not recommended as the salt only temporarily thaws the road which creates potholes and leads to further problems.
The Town operates according to the Town’s Winter Maintenance Policy, which is available on the Town website. The Town’s Public Works Department operates on a single shift with operators assigned to a specific route as directed by the Town’s Winter Maintenance Standards and Level of Service Policy.
For more information or to view the policies, please visit: www.thebluemountains.ca/roads-drainage.cfm