Weather & Planning
The City of La Crosse has 224 centerline miles of highway (arterial and collector) and residential streets under its jurisdiction. The goal is to keep all highways and major hills open during a snowfall and to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. Variations in weather conditions, such as time, temperature, precipitation amounts and rates, wind conditions, topography, and traffic conditions make the problem complex. No two storms are alike, yet the task at hand is similar.
Some hazards and obstacles also slow down the process. Examples of these are vehicles traveling too fast and too close to the plow, parked cars, garbage cans on the road, raised manhole castings, railroad tracks, and children playing too close to the street.
Timing is critical; weather forecasting, readiness of the equipment, materials, and personnel are important elements in providing a quick response.
Snow Plowing Procedures by Weather Type
| Precipitation Type |
Forecasted Snowfall |
Plowing Procedure |
| Flurries |
Trace to 1"
|
We will not plow. May salt highways or sand residential intersections. |
| Snow |
1" to 2" |
Depending on density, plows may be sent to clear primary routes, then salt. May sand secondary routes, intersections, and hills. |
| Snow |
2" to 3" |
Will plow primary routes, then salt. Depending on density, we may plow secondary routes, then sand intersections and hills. |
| Snow |
More than 3" |
Will plow all streets, salt primary routes, and may sand secondary route intersections and hills. Highways may be re-plowed as directed by supervisor. |
| Snow Emergency or Snow Maintenance Alert |
3" or more |
Typically, alternate side parking will go into effect. This could happen before, during, or after a snow event where we get more than 3-5" of snowfall. |
| Ice Storm |
1/4" or less |
Salt primary routes and salt or sand secondary routes, intersections and hills. |
| Ice Storm |
1/4" or more |
Salt all streets. May salt or sand alleys. |
Chemicals and Abrasives
Brine: Prior to a snowfall, liquid calcium chloride (brine) is applied as a preventative on hills, bridges, and curves.
Rock Salt: Sodium chloride (rock salt) is only applied to main highways(arterial and collector streets) and hills when needed. To activate the rock salt more quickly, brine is added to the rock salt when the temperature is below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sand/Salt Mix: Rock salt is mixed into sand to prevent it from freezing. That mix is then applied to residential intersections and hills as an abrasive.
Plow Routes
The City is divided into 13 plow routes. These routes are divided into two parts, primary routes (highways-arterial and collector streets) and secondary routes (streets abutting primary routes such as residential streets). Plow crews start on primary routes, and depending on snowfall amounts may transition into secondary routes. Refer to table above.
For snow accumulations under 5", primary routes are designed to be plowed in approximately 3-4 hours and the entire city, primary & secondary routes, in approximately 8-10 hours. Most routes are plowed with teams of two, consisting of one motor grader and one single axle truck.
Plow routes that have trucks equipped with spreaders will salt or sand as the streets are plowed. Other routes that do not have trucks equipped with spreaders rely on one of three available trucks to salt or sand/salt their streets. Sand/salting residential intersections may not be necessary after each snowfall. If required, sand/salting residential intersections will be accomplished concurrent with plowing operations.
Upon completion of snow plowing operations, the supervisor will schedule a crew to return the following two nights to push islands of snow left behind from plowing around parked cars.