BRAMPTON Reportlaquoraquolaquo p r-J Committee of Council bramptonca llOWBT LlTV Committee of the Council of

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

Date June 62011 _ _ _ _IMMICOMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

File T11SNOW PATH gtUrfMt Is f^0 Subject Winter Services Review

Contact Ken Lauppe Manager Road Operations Operations Division

Overview

bull In June 2008 Council approved changes to the Levels of Service for Winter Operations In December 2009 Council requested staff to review winter operations after the 20092010 winter season and report back regarding any changes Due to the light winter during the 20092010 season the reporting back was deferred until after the 20102011 winter

bull A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced during the 20102011 winter season Administration of the contract was divided into four service areas with each area serviced by four

activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) bull The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and

precipitation compared to the winter of 20092010 and as a result provided a good test of the changes to the service levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department

bull Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services were well received As a result staff is not recommending any changes to the Council approved winter operations levels of service

bull A number of issues were identified as a result of the review

o Staff will be changing the way sidewalk plows are allocated to sidewalk routes to ensure that appropriately sized equipment is used to reduce plow damage to boulevards

o Staff is recommending that to reduce the environmental impact of winter operations and to improve the effectiveness of spring sweeping that the city discontinue the use of sand on local roads and that salt only be used Staff estimate a savings of approximately $100000 per year as a result of this initiative

o Staff is recommending that By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking) be amended to allow tagging or towing of vehicles during all winter operations

Fgt1 Staff will be working with the Planning Design and Development Department to review the design standards for new subdivisions to balance planning objectives with the impact narrower road rights of way have on the delivery of winter operations

Recommendations

1 That the report from Ken Lauppe Manager Road Operations Works and Transportation Department dated June 6 2011 to the Committee of Council Meeting of June 15 2011 re Winter Services Review be received

2 That the service level for local roads (including courts) be changed so local roads receive a salt application instead of a sandsalt mix and

3 That Traffic By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking) as amended be further amended to include all winter related road maintenance activities

Background

City Council approved Item CWB003-2009 clause (6) at its meetings of November 30 December 2 2009

That staffbe requested to review winter operations after the20092010 winter season and report back to Committee of Council regarding any changes to the winter services regime for the20102011 winter season including possible new service enhancements

Due to the light winter experienced during the 20092010 season the above-noted reportwas deferred until after the 20102011 winter season

Winter Services Overview

The Works and Transportation Department is responsible for maintaining the citys road and sidewalk infrastructure in a safe and passable condition in accordance with the provisions of The Municipal Act and Council approved levels of service Winter operations are provided by both in-house and contracted resources

The department uses road salt and sand as the primary winter materials to maintain city sidewalks and roads Winter materials are applied and managed in accordance with the Citys Salt Management Plan and Environment Canadas Salt Management Code of Practice

tn-l During the 2010 2011 winter season the department maintained approximately 3200 lane kilometers of roadway and 700 kilometers of sidewalk It is anticipated that the citys roadway infrastructure will grow to approximately 5500 lane kilometers by 2031

The Council approved winter service levels are outlined in Table 1

TABLE NO 1 - COUNCIL APPROVED WINTER SERVICE LEVELS

ROAD SERVICE LEVEL METHODOLOGY

CLASSIFICATION

ArterialCollector Roads bull Bare pavement bull Treated with salt brine prior to snow accumulation or freezing rain

bull Plowed and treated with salt or salt brine as

required until bare pavement achieved Local Residential Roads bull No bare pavement bull Roads with sidewalks treated with sandsalt

(including Courts) mix at hills intersections and curves only bull Roads without sidewalks treated full length

with sandsalt mix

bull Plowed only after snow accumulation reaches 75 cm (3) during a single winter event or if icyrutted roads a possibility

Private Streets bull Maintenance responsibility of bull na

property owners

SidewalksWalkways bull Bare surface bull City owned sidewalks and unassumed sidewalks (that are continuously connected) plowed and receive a sandsalt treatment as required on

- Arterial and major collector roads - Roads serviced by Brampton Transit - Boulevards which measure less than

09 m (3) between the curb back and sidewalk face

- Fronting city property including buildings facilities and park lands

- Reverse frontage bull All other sidewalks are responsibility of

property owners

School Crosswalks bull Bare surface bull Cleared and treated with salt or sandsalt mix as required

Transit Stops bull Bare surface bull Cleared and treated with salt or sandsalt mix as required

Completion Times bull Within 24 hours after end of bull End of weather event confirmed by The snowfall 48 hours or greater Weather Network and Environment Canada

if heavy or continuous data

snowfall

Snow Removal bull Snow removed when bull Generally done in the following order vehiclepedestrian traffic is - Downtown area

obstructed - Bridge decks - Curb face sidewalks - Courts

Patrols bull 24 hoursday 7 daysweek bull Trucks are assigned specific routes and including weekends and timelines in accordance with the Provinces

statutory holidays Minimum Maintenance Standards

Pgt4shy

In June 2008 Council adopted the above noted levels of service which included the following enhancements

1 Salt entire length of local roads without sidewalks 2 Upgrade the service levels for all local roads with schools to the same service

level provided on arterialcollectors roads 3 Plow all sidewalks on roads serviced by Brampton Transit 4 Remove snow windrows at all crosswalks during winter events

These enhanced levels of service were implemented during the 20082009 winter

season

The department utilizes up to 215 pieces of various equipment (plow trucks graders loaders tractors backhoes and small trucks) during a typical winter event with approximately 80 contracted resources and 20 in-house resources

From mid-November to mid-April three eight hour shifts staffed by city staff operate from the Sandalwood and Williams Yards Monday to Friday except for statutory holidays As a result of the re-development of the Sandalwood Yard all winter operations were deployed from the Williams Parkway Yard during the 20102011 winter

Road patrols are undertaken by Maintenance Inspectors in accordance with the Provinces Minimum Maintenance Standards that require winter patrols be maintained 24 hours day seven days a week including statutory holidays

Salt and Sand Usage

Road salt is used on arterial and collector roads to prevent snow and ice bonding to the road surface Anti-icing liquids (mixture of salt and water) are currently used on arterial roads prior to a winter event and to pre-wet the salt Anti-icing is applied up to 18 hours prior to a winter event and under strict weather and temperature conditions Pre-wetting salt reduces the use of road salt as it helps the salt stay on the road while it accelerates melting action

Currently a 75 sand25 salt mix is used on local roads and sidewalks for traction and melting snow

In 2004 Environment Canada introduced a voluntary Code of Practice for salt management aimed specifically at organizations using more than 500 tonnes of salt annually orwith vulnerable areas that could be harmed by excessive amounts of salt

The codes two major objectives are the development of salt management plans to reduce the negative impacts of salt release and implementation of best practices for salt

application salt storage and snow disposal Organizations are requested to report their progress annually to Environment Canada

Environment Canada is completing a mandatory review of the first five years of the program to determine if organizations have met the codes objectives There is a concern that upon completion of the review the code may become mandatory and resulting changes may require additional administrative operational and financial resources It is anticipated that final comments by Environment Canada will be received sometime in 2012

The department implemented its initial Salt Management Plan in 2005 which was updated in 2008 and will be further updated prior to the 20112012 winter

Customer Service

Calls from residents and Councillors are tracked through a combination of Road Operations yard staff departmental customer services representatives and the Call Centre Approximately 1500 service requests were received during the 20102011 winter season (less than 2 of residential households) requiring action by staff with the majority of calls related to local roads (40) and sidewalks (20)

Communications

Timely communications is critical during a winter event Each year Works and Transportation in consultation with Corporate Communications prepares a detailed communications strategythat includes an update of the Snow Facts brochure (delivered to all households) newspaper ads in the Brampton Guardian and local South Asian newspapers strategically placed bulletin boards and bus shelterads The department also provides winter event updates for Council staff and on the citys website 24 hours a day

During the 20102011 winter season the department expanded the communications program to include social media Twitter was used to provide upto date winter services messages (tweets) In addition a link to the departments winter web page was added to The Weather Networks Brampton forecast web site For future winter seasons the department is exploring expanding the use of social media experience to include Facebook

Budget

The departments annual winter operating budget is approximately $108 million which includes in-house resources ($28 million) contracted resources ($66 million) and material ($14 million) While the budget is forecasted based upon average annual

Fl-fc winter precipitation actual spending is impacted by the number and severity of the winter events

In 2010 approximately $75 million was expended while $84 million has been expended to date in 2011

20102011 Winter Operations Review

Weather

Environment Canada reported 126 cm (50) of snow accumulation this past winter at the Lester B Pearson Airport (the closest reporting station to Brampton) compared to 53 cm (21) during the 20092010 winter season

Average annual snow accumulation for the Brampton area is 115 cm (46)

New Contract

A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced this past winter season To administer and deliver the winter program the contract was split into four service areas (northeast southeast northwest and southwest) with each area serviced by four specific activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) supplemented by in-house resources

The overall value of the contract is approximately $66 million annually and will increase due to additional equipment required to service infrastructure growth It is estimated that an additional $250000 per year will be required to service the approximately 125 lane kilometers added to the Citys road network each year

Overview of 20102011 Winter Operations

The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and precipitation compared to the 20092010 winter As a result the 20102011 winter provided a good test of the changes to the Service Levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department with the introduction of the new outside services contract

Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services by the Department were well received

Notwithstanding the overall satisfaction with the approved levels of service and the Departments provision of these services the following issues were identified

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

tn-l During the 2010 2011 winter season the department maintained approximately 3200 lane kilometers of roadway and 700 kilometers of sidewalk It is anticipated that the citys roadway infrastructure will grow to approximately 5500 lane kilometers by 2031

The Council approved winter service levels are outlined in Table 1

TABLE NO 1 - COUNCIL APPROVED WINTER SERVICE LEVELS

ROAD SERVICE LEVEL METHODOLOGY

CLASSIFICATION

ArterialCollector Roads bull Bare pavement bull Treated with salt brine prior to snow accumulation or freezing rain

bull Plowed and treated with salt or salt brine as

required until bare pavement achieved Local Residential Roads bull No bare pavement bull Roads with sidewalks treated with sandsalt

(including Courts) mix at hills intersections and curves only bull Roads without sidewalks treated full length

with sandsalt mix

bull Plowed only after snow accumulation reaches 75 cm (3) during a single winter event or if icyrutted roads a possibility

Private Streets bull Maintenance responsibility of bull na

property owners

SidewalksWalkways bull Bare surface bull City owned sidewalks and unassumed sidewalks (that are continuously connected) plowed and receive a sandsalt treatment as required on

- Arterial and major collector roads - Roads serviced by Brampton Transit - Boulevards which measure less than

09 m (3) between the curb back and sidewalk face

- Fronting city property including buildings facilities and park lands

- Reverse frontage bull All other sidewalks are responsibility of

property owners

School Crosswalks bull Bare surface bull Cleared and treated with salt or sandsalt mix as required

Transit Stops bull Bare surface bull Cleared and treated with salt or sandsalt mix as required

Completion Times bull Within 24 hours after end of bull End of weather event confirmed by The snowfall 48 hours or greater Weather Network and Environment Canada

if heavy or continuous data

snowfall

Snow Removal bull Snow removed when bull Generally done in the following order vehiclepedestrian traffic is - Downtown area

obstructed - Bridge decks - Curb face sidewalks - Courts

Patrols bull 24 hoursday 7 daysweek bull Trucks are assigned specific routes and including weekends and timelines in accordance with the Provinces

statutory holidays Minimum Maintenance Standards

Pgt4shy

In June 2008 Council adopted the above noted levels of service which included the following enhancements

1 Salt entire length of local roads without sidewalks 2 Upgrade the service levels for all local roads with schools to the same service

level provided on arterialcollectors roads 3 Plow all sidewalks on roads serviced by Brampton Transit 4 Remove snow windrows at all crosswalks during winter events

These enhanced levels of service were implemented during the 20082009 winter

season

The department utilizes up to 215 pieces of various equipment (plow trucks graders loaders tractors backhoes and small trucks) during a typical winter event with approximately 80 contracted resources and 20 in-house resources

From mid-November to mid-April three eight hour shifts staffed by city staff operate from the Sandalwood and Williams Yards Monday to Friday except for statutory holidays As a result of the re-development of the Sandalwood Yard all winter operations were deployed from the Williams Parkway Yard during the 20102011 winter

Road patrols are undertaken by Maintenance Inspectors in accordance with the Provinces Minimum Maintenance Standards that require winter patrols be maintained 24 hours day seven days a week including statutory holidays

Salt and Sand Usage

Road salt is used on arterial and collector roads to prevent snow and ice bonding to the road surface Anti-icing liquids (mixture of salt and water) are currently used on arterial roads prior to a winter event and to pre-wet the salt Anti-icing is applied up to 18 hours prior to a winter event and under strict weather and temperature conditions Pre-wetting salt reduces the use of road salt as it helps the salt stay on the road while it accelerates melting action

Currently a 75 sand25 salt mix is used on local roads and sidewalks for traction and melting snow

In 2004 Environment Canada introduced a voluntary Code of Practice for salt management aimed specifically at organizations using more than 500 tonnes of salt annually orwith vulnerable areas that could be harmed by excessive amounts of salt

The codes two major objectives are the development of salt management plans to reduce the negative impacts of salt release and implementation of best practices for salt

application salt storage and snow disposal Organizations are requested to report their progress annually to Environment Canada

Environment Canada is completing a mandatory review of the first five years of the program to determine if organizations have met the codes objectives There is a concern that upon completion of the review the code may become mandatory and resulting changes may require additional administrative operational and financial resources It is anticipated that final comments by Environment Canada will be received sometime in 2012

The department implemented its initial Salt Management Plan in 2005 which was updated in 2008 and will be further updated prior to the 20112012 winter

Customer Service

Calls from residents and Councillors are tracked through a combination of Road Operations yard staff departmental customer services representatives and the Call Centre Approximately 1500 service requests were received during the 20102011 winter season (less than 2 of residential households) requiring action by staff with the majority of calls related to local roads (40) and sidewalks (20)

Communications

Timely communications is critical during a winter event Each year Works and Transportation in consultation with Corporate Communications prepares a detailed communications strategythat includes an update of the Snow Facts brochure (delivered to all households) newspaper ads in the Brampton Guardian and local South Asian newspapers strategically placed bulletin boards and bus shelterads The department also provides winter event updates for Council staff and on the citys website 24 hours a day

During the 20102011 winter season the department expanded the communications program to include social media Twitter was used to provide upto date winter services messages (tweets) In addition a link to the departments winter web page was added to The Weather Networks Brampton forecast web site For future winter seasons the department is exploring expanding the use of social media experience to include Facebook

Budget

The departments annual winter operating budget is approximately $108 million which includes in-house resources ($28 million) contracted resources ($66 million) and material ($14 million) While the budget is forecasted based upon average annual

Fl-fc winter precipitation actual spending is impacted by the number and severity of the winter events

In 2010 approximately $75 million was expended while $84 million has been expended to date in 2011

20102011 Winter Operations Review

Weather

Environment Canada reported 126 cm (50) of snow accumulation this past winter at the Lester B Pearson Airport (the closest reporting station to Brampton) compared to 53 cm (21) during the 20092010 winter season

Average annual snow accumulation for the Brampton area is 115 cm (46)

New Contract

A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced this past winter season To administer and deliver the winter program the contract was split into four service areas (northeast southeast northwest and southwest) with each area serviced by four specific activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) supplemented by in-house resources

The overall value of the contract is approximately $66 million annually and will increase due to additional equipment required to service infrastructure growth It is estimated that an additional $250000 per year will be required to service the approximately 125 lane kilometers added to the Citys road network each year

Overview of 20102011 Winter Operations

The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and precipitation compared to the 20092010 winter As a result the 20102011 winter provided a good test of the changes to the Service Levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department with the introduction of the new outside services contract

Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services by the Department were well received

Notwithstanding the overall satisfaction with the approved levels of service and the Departments provision of these services the following issues were identified

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

Pgt4shy

In June 2008 Council adopted the above noted levels of service which included the following enhancements

1 Salt entire length of local roads without sidewalks 2 Upgrade the service levels for all local roads with schools to the same service

level provided on arterialcollectors roads 3 Plow all sidewalks on roads serviced by Brampton Transit 4 Remove snow windrows at all crosswalks during winter events

These enhanced levels of service were implemented during the 20082009 winter

season

The department utilizes up to 215 pieces of various equipment (plow trucks graders loaders tractors backhoes and small trucks) during a typical winter event with approximately 80 contracted resources and 20 in-house resources

From mid-November to mid-April three eight hour shifts staffed by city staff operate from the Sandalwood and Williams Yards Monday to Friday except for statutory holidays As a result of the re-development of the Sandalwood Yard all winter operations were deployed from the Williams Parkway Yard during the 20102011 winter

Road patrols are undertaken by Maintenance Inspectors in accordance with the Provinces Minimum Maintenance Standards that require winter patrols be maintained 24 hours day seven days a week including statutory holidays

Salt and Sand Usage

Road salt is used on arterial and collector roads to prevent snow and ice bonding to the road surface Anti-icing liquids (mixture of salt and water) are currently used on arterial roads prior to a winter event and to pre-wet the salt Anti-icing is applied up to 18 hours prior to a winter event and under strict weather and temperature conditions Pre-wetting salt reduces the use of road salt as it helps the salt stay on the road while it accelerates melting action

Currently a 75 sand25 salt mix is used on local roads and sidewalks for traction and melting snow

In 2004 Environment Canada introduced a voluntary Code of Practice for salt management aimed specifically at organizations using more than 500 tonnes of salt annually orwith vulnerable areas that could be harmed by excessive amounts of salt

The codes two major objectives are the development of salt management plans to reduce the negative impacts of salt release and implementation of best practices for salt

application salt storage and snow disposal Organizations are requested to report their progress annually to Environment Canada

Environment Canada is completing a mandatory review of the first five years of the program to determine if organizations have met the codes objectives There is a concern that upon completion of the review the code may become mandatory and resulting changes may require additional administrative operational and financial resources It is anticipated that final comments by Environment Canada will be received sometime in 2012

The department implemented its initial Salt Management Plan in 2005 which was updated in 2008 and will be further updated prior to the 20112012 winter

Customer Service

Calls from residents and Councillors are tracked through a combination of Road Operations yard staff departmental customer services representatives and the Call Centre Approximately 1500 service requests were received during the 20102011 winter season (less than 2 of residential households) requiring action by staff with the majority of calls related to local roads (40) and sidewalks (20)

Communications

Timely communications is critical during a winter event Each year Works and Transportation in consultation with Corporate Communications prepares a detailed communications strategythat includes an update of the Snow Facts brochure (delivered to all households) newspaper ads in the Brampton Guardian and local South Asian newspapers strategically placed bulletin boards and bus shelterads The department also provides winter event updates for Council staff and on the citys website 24 hours a day

During the 20102011 winter season the department expanded the communications program to include social media Twitter was used to provide upto date winter services messages (tweets) In addition a link to the departments winter web page was added to The Weather Networks Brampton forecast web site For future winter seasons the department is exploring expanding the use of social media experience to include Facebook

Budget

The departments annual winter operating budget is approximately $108 million which includes in-house resources ($28 million) contracted resources ($66 million) and material ($14 million) While the budget is forecasted based upon average annual

Fl-fc winter precipitation actual spending is impacted by the number and severity of the winter events

In 2010 approximately $75 million was expended while $84 million has been expended to date in 2011

20102011 Winter Operations Review

Weather

Environment Canada reported 126 cm (50) of snow accumulation this past winter at the Lester B Pearson Airport (the closest reporting station to Brampton) compared to 53 cm (21) during the 20092010 winter season

Average annual snow accumulation for the Brampton area is 115 cm (46)

New Contract

A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced this past winter season To administer and deliver the winter program the contract was split into four service areas (northeast southeast northwest and southwest) with each area serviced by four specific activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) supplemented by in-house resources

The overall value of the contract is approximately $66 million annually and will increase due to additional equipment required to service infrastructure growth It is estimated that an additional $250000 per year will be required to service the approximately 125 lane kilometers added to the Citys road network each year

Overview of 20102011 Winter Operations

The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and precipitation compared to the 20092010 winter As a result the 20102011 winter provided a good test of the changes to the Service Levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department with the introduction of the new outside services contract

Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services by the Department were well received

Notwithstanding the overall satisfaction with the approved levels of service and the Departments provision of these services the following issues were identified

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

application salt storage and snow disposal Organizations are requested to report their progress annually to Environment Canada

Environment Canada is completing a mandatory review of the first five years of the program to determine if organizations have met the codes objectives There is a concern that upon completion of the review the code may become mandatory and resulting changes may require additional administrative operational and financial resources It is anticipated that final comments by Environment Canada will be received sometime in 2012

The department implemented its initial Salt Management Plan in 2005 which was updated in 2008 and will be further updated prior to the 20112012 winter

Customer Service

Calls from residents and Councillors are tracked through a combination of Road Operations yard staff departmental customer services representatives and the Call Centre Approximately 1500 service requests were received during the 20102011 winter season (less than 2 of residential households) requiring action by staff with the majority of calls related to local roads (40) and sidewalks (20)

Communications

Timely communications is critical during a winter event Each year Works and Transportation in consultation with Corporate Communications prepares a detailed communications strategythat includes an update of the Snow Facts brochure (delivered to all households) newspaper ads in the Brampton Guardian and local South Asian newspapers strategically placed bulletin boards and bus shelterads The department also provides winter event updates for Council staff and on the citys website 24 hours a day

During the 20102011 winter season the department expanded the communications program to include social media Twitter was used to provide upto date winter services messages (tweets) In addition a link to the departments winter web page was added to The Weather Networks Brampton forecast web site For future winter seasons the department is exploring expanding the use of social media experience to include Facebook

Budget

The departments annual winter operating budget is approximately $108 million which includes in-house resources ($28 million) contracted resources ($66 million) and material ($14 million) While the budget is forecasted based upon average annual

Fl-fc winter precipitation actual spending is impacted by the number and severity of the winter events

In 2010 approximately $75 million was expended while $84 million has been expended to date in 2011

20102011 Winter Operations Review

Weather

Environment Canada reported 126 cm (50) of snow accumulation this past winter at the Lester B Pearson Airport (the closest reporting station to Brampton) compared to 53 cm (21) during the 20092010 winter season

Average annual snow accumulation for the Brampton area is 115 cm (46)

New Contract

A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced this past winter season To administer and deliver the winter program the contract was split into four service areas (northeast southeast northwest and southwest) with each area serviced by four specific activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) supplemented by in-house resources

The overall value of the contract is approximately $66 million annually and will increase due to additional equipment required to service infrastructure growth It is estimated that an additional $250000 per year will be required to service the approximately 125 lane kilometers added to the Citys road network each year

Overview of 20102011 Winter Operations

The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and precipitation compared to the 20092010 winter As a result the 20102011 winter provided a good test of the changes to the Service Levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department with the introduction of the new outside services contract

Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services by the Department were well received

Notwithstanding the overall satisfaction with the approved levels of service and the Departments provision of these services the following issues were identified

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

Fl-fc winter precipitation actual spending is impacted by the number and severity of the winter events

In 2010 approximately $75 million was expended while $84 million has been expended to date in 2011

20102011 Winter Operations Review

Weather

Environment Canada reported 126 cm (50) of snow accumulation this past winter at the Lester B Pearson Airport (the closest reporting station to Brampton) compared to 53 cm (21) during the 20092010 winter season

Average annual snow accumulation for the Brampton area is 115 cm (46)

New Contract

A new seven year contract to deliver winter services by external providers commenced this past winter season To administer and deliver the winter program the contract was split into four service areas (northeast southeast northwest and southwest) with each area serviced by four specific activity contractors (roads courts sidewalks and transit stops) supplemented by in-house resources

The overall value of the contract is approximately $66 million annually and will increase due to additional equipment required to service infrastructure growth It is estimated that an additional $250000 per year will be required to service the approximately 125 lane kilometers added to the Citys road network each year

Overview of 20102011 Winter Operations

The winter of 20102011 was above average in terms of temperature and precipitation compared to the 20092010 winter As a result the 20102011 winter provided a good test of the changes to the Service Levels approved by Council in 2008 and the administrative changes implemented by the Department with the introduction of the new outside services contract

Overall based upon the levels of customer service requests and feedback from Councillors and the public the new service levels and the provision of winter services by the Department were well received

Notwithstanding the overall satisfaction with the approved levels of service and the Departments provision of these services the following issues were identified

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

pvi Sidewalk plowing

SaltSand usage and Spring Sweeping

Parking on local streets during winter events

Design of New Subdivisions

Driveway windrow removal pilot programs

Sidewalk Plowing

Approximately 700 km (40) of the citys 1700 km of sidewalk are maintained during the winter by the department the remaining 1000 km of sidewalk do not meet the current plowing criteria and are maintained by the adjacent property owners

Of the 700 km of sidewalk maintained approximately 10 have widths less than the city standard of 15 m (60) The majority of these sidewalks are in the Bartley Bull Parkway McMurchy Avenue and downtown areas with a width of 12 m (48) the remaining sidewalks are in the G section of Bramalea with a width of 135 m (53)

This past winter season saw an increase in boulevard damage due to a combination of oversized equipment on sidewalks less than 15 m in width and temperature The boulevard damage was at its extreme during the March 56 2011 winter event where there was no snow windrows to guide the tractors and the boulevards had already thawed

For the upcoming 20112012 winter season staff will be implementing the following measures to minimize boulevard damage by the tractors

bull Smaller sized tractors will be assigned in areas with sidewalks less than 15 m in width

bull Markers will be located in strategic locations where there are substantial changes in horizontal sidewalk alignment

bull Additional training will be provided for all sidewalk equipment operators

SandSalt Usage and Spring Sweeping

Starting in the 20082009 winter service on local roads was upgraded to include salt on roads with no sidewalks while roads with sidewalks continued with a sandsalt mix This change was in response to residentswalking on the roads with no sidewalks No issues have been identified by staff or the publicwith the new level of service

During the 2010 2011 winter season the department used 18500 tonnes of road salt 6000 tonnes of winter sand and over 300000 liters of anti-icing liquids

However the use of salt and sand on local roads and its impact on watercourses is a concern During the 20082009 and 20092010 winter seasons the City of

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

Fgt8 Mississauga with the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) undertook pilot studies of alternative material usage and conducted water quality studies of the Credit River watershed within Mississaugas boundaries

The study determined that Mississaugas winter sandsalt mix increased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and total phosphorus which contributes to the growth of algae thereby impacting water quality The study concluded that a reduction of winter sand would mitigate some of the impacts on the receiving bodies of water Subsequently Mississauga Council approved the replacement of the sandsalt mix with the use of salt (treated with magnesium chloride) on secondary roads priority sidewalks and bus stops Salt treated with magnesium chloride is more expensive than normal road salt

Brampton staff has reviewed the results from the MississaugaCVC pilot studies and recognize that there are environmental benefits from eliminating the application of sand during winter events At this time the costbenefitof switching to an alternative form of road salt is unclear Staff will continue to monitor the City of Mississaugas usage of magnesium chloride treated salt to determine ifthe additional potential environmental benefits merit the additional cost

A numberof complaints have also been received on the amount of debris leftover after the winter on local roads and the impact this has on the efficiency of the spring sweeping operations Elimination of the use of sand will significantly reduce the debris on local roads and will reduce the amount of sweeping required in the spring

Therefore the department recommends that the use of sand on local roads be discontinued commencing in the 2011 2012winter season It is recommended that the application rate that salt is applied be 65 kilograms lane kilometer This will result in an annual savings of approximately $10000000 consisting of approximately $50000 savings in material recyclingpurchasing costs and $50000 in reduced spring sweeping costs

Sidewalks would continue to receive winter sand while school crossings and transit stops would continue to receive either saltorwinter sand as conditions warrant

Parking on Local Streets During Winter Events

During the snow events of the winter of 20082009 oneof the major issues impacting the ability of the department to deliver winter services on local roads was the parking of vehicles that interfered with winteroperations Subsequent to that year Works and Transportation and Parking Enforcement worked closely to aggressively identify areas of concern and to tag and tow vehicles interfering with plowing operations

By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) deals with obstructions by vehicles during snow clearing operations only

Notwithstanding any other provision of this by-law which permits the parking of vehicles on highways no person shall park or stand a vehicle on a highway in such a manner as to interfere with the clearing of snow from the highway

The by-law is not applicable during other winter activities such as anti-icing or material spreading resulting in the inabilityof By-law Enforcement staff to tag andor tow vehicles obstructing winter equipment

In consultation with By-Law Enforcement to permit the towing of a vehicle during a salt operation an amendment to By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking or Standing Interfering with Snow Removal) is required This amendment would require a change to the language from interfere with the cleaning of snow to interfere with snow andor winter maintenance

Design of New Subdivisions

A number of complaints were received during the 20102011 winter regarding the amount of snow plowed back onto sidewalks during plowing operations in new subdivisions

The design of small width boulevards in new subdivisions in the city poses challenges for both plow truck operators and adjacent property owners with respect to the limited space available for snow storage When snowstorage is maximized on the boulevards as a result of continuous or heavy snowfalls plow trucks inadvertently push snow from the roadway onto adjacent sidewalks usually maintained by property owners

When staff receives a complaint regarding snow pushed onto sidewalks city resources are dispatched to clear those sidewalks Unfortunately sometimes it maytake a day or two before resources become available for the sidewalks to be cleared

With the desire for the use of more and more alternative design standards for new subdivisions that reduce the local road rights of way this issue will grow in volume as these new subdivisions are built and occupied

Works and Transportation staff will continue to work with Planning Design and Development staff on the design standards for newsubdivisions to balance the desire for reduced roads rights of way to meet planning objectives versus the ongoing operational problems that the narrower streets and boulevards pose

Driveway Snow Windrows Removal Pilot Programs

Staff reported to Council in January 2007 June 2008 and May 2009 regarding the possibility of implementing a driveway snow windrow removal program In all three

PT-IO instances Council chose not to implement the program as the estimated cost to provide this service city-wide is $4 million annually During the discussions staff was requested to report back on the windrow removal pilot programs in the City of Mississauga and the Town of Oakville

Mississauga

Starting in the 20102011 winter season Mississauga implemented a city-wide pilot program to clear snow windrows from driveways for older adults (65 years or older) and individuals who are physically disabled (as verified by a regulated health professional)

Participation is either free or $200 depending on the financial capabilities and physical health of the applicants The program is limited to 2500 households that meet the financial criteria for free service and 1000 households who are eligible at $200 per household

Last winter there were 272 participants (200 paid and 72 free) in the program Since the service was provided after the main winter clearing operations the most common complaint from participants was that service was too slow especially for those who lived on priority roads Mississauga staff also identified that the program is heavily subsidized with only 25 of the programs costs recovered from the participants fees

Oakville

Oakville together with Links2Care (a community service organization) offers a user pay driveway snow windrow removal service ($5650 non-refundable) for residents 65 years or older and those restricted by disability Links2Care manages the registration administration and customer service for the program while Oakville is responsible for clearing the snow windrows for residents enrolled in the program

This program is also available in Milton and Burlington Over the past few years Oakville and Burlington estimate it costs approximately $400 per seasonper resident to implement this program Prices can fluctuate based on the number of winter events per season Burlington and Oakville report that they have had minimal complaints from users of their respective programs

Brampton

Bramptons program provides financial assistance to residents 65 years or older and those with physical challenges to remove snow from their sidewalks and driveways by a service provider Qualifying applicants can receive a grant of up to $100 for non-corner lot properties and up to $150 for corner lot properties

The budget for this program is $180000 annually accommodating 1650 participants

10

PXI Corporate Implications

The following corporate impacts have been identified

bull Budget - Annual net savings of approximately $100000 resulting from the switch from a sandsalt mix to the use of salt only on local roads

bull Inter-departmental - Additional resources may be required from By-law Enforcement to provide augmented tag andor tow services during winter events with the recommended change to By-law 93-93 Section 44

Conclusion

Our review of winter operations during the 20102011 winter season has concluded that overall the public was satisfied with the levels of service provided and the manner in which those services were delivered by the department As a result staff is not recommending any changes to the Council approved winter operations levels of service

A number of issues were identified as a result of the review

bull Staff will be changing the way sidewalk plows are allocated to sidewalk routes to

ensure that appropriately sized equipment is used to reduce plow damage to

boulevards

bull Staff is recommending that to reduce the environmental impact of winter operations and to improve the effectiveness of spring sweeping that the city discontinue the use of sand on local roads and that salt only be used Staff estimate a savings of approximately $100000 per year as a result of this initiative

bull Staff is recommending that By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking) be amended to

allow tagging or towing of vehicles during all winter operations

bull Staff will be working with the Planning Design and Development Department to

review the design standards for new subdivisions to balance planning objectives

with the impact narrower road rights of way have on the delivery of winter

operations

RE Dlfrpolito P Eng TW Mulligan P Eng Director Operations Commissioner Works and Transportation

Report authored by Ken Lauppe CET CRS-S Manager Road Operations 905-458-4888

li

PT-IO instances Council chose not to implement the program as the estimated cost to provide this service city-wide is $4 million annually During the discussions staff was requested to report back on the windrow removal pilot programs in the City of Mississauga and the Town of Oakville

Mississauga

Starting in the 20102011 winter season Mississauga implemented a city-wide pilot program to clear snow windrows from driveways for older adults (65 years or older) and individuals who are physically disabled (as verified by a regulated health professional)

Participation is either free or $200 depending on the financial capabilities and physical health of the applicants The program is limited to 2500 households that meet the financial criteria for free service and 1000 households who are eligible at $200 per household

Last winter there were 272 participants (200 paid and 72 free) in the program Since the service was provided after the main winter clearing operations the most common complaint from participants was that service was too slow especially for those who lived on priority roads Mississauga staff also identified that the program is heavily subsidized with only 25 of the programs costs recovered from the participants fees

Oakville

Oakville together with Links2Care (a community service organization) offers a user pay driveway snow windrow removal service ($5650 non-refundable) for residents 65 years or older and those restricted by disability Links2Care manages the registration administration and customer service for the program while Oakville is responsible for clearing the snow windrows for residents enrolled in the program

This program is also available in Milton and Burlington Over the past few years Oakville and Burlington estimate it costs approximately $400 per seasonper resident to implement this program Prices can fluctuate based on the number of winter events per season Burlington and Oakville report that they have had minimal complaints from users of their respective programs

Brampton

Bramptons program provides financial assistance to residents 65 years or older and those with physical challenges to remove snow from their sidewalks and driveways by a service provider Qualifying applicants can receive a grant of up to $100 for non-corner lot properties and up to $150 for corner lot properties

The budget for this program is $180000 annually accommodating 1650 participants

10

PXI Corporate Implications

The following corporate impacts have been identified

bull Budget - Annual net savings of approximately $100000 resulting from the switch from a sandsalt mix to the use of salt only on local roads

bull Inter-departmental - Additional resources may be required from By-law Enforcement to provide augmented tag andor tow services during winter events with the recommended change to By-law 93-93 Section 44

Conclusion

Our review of winter operations during the 20102011 winter season has concluded that overall the public was satisfied with the levels of service provided and the manner in which those services were delivered by the department As a result staff is not recommending any changes to the Council approved winter operations levels of service

A number of issues were identified as a result of the review

bull Staff will be changing the way sidewalk plows are allocated to sidewalk routes to

ensure that appropriately sized equipment is used to reduce plow damage to

boulevards

bull Staff is recommending that to reduce the environmental impact of winter operations and to improve the effectiveness of spring sweeping that the city discontinue the use of sand on local roads and that salt only be used Staff estimate a savings of approximately $100000 per year as a result of this initiative

bull Staff is recommending that By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking) be amended to

allow tagging or towing of vehicles during all winter operations

bull Staff will be working with the Planning Design and Development Department to

review the design standards for new subdivisions to balance planning objectives

with the impact narrower road rights of way have on the delivery of winter

operations

RE Dlfrpolito P Eng TW Mulligan P Eng Director Operations Commissioner Works and Transportation

Report authored by Ken Lauppe CET CRS-S Manager Road Operations 905-458-4888

li

PXI Corporate Implications

The following corporate impacts have been identified

bull Budget - Annual net savings of approximately $100000 resulting from the switch from a sandsalt mix to the use of salt only on local roads

bull Inter-departmental - Additional resources may be required from By-law Enforcement to provide augmented tag andor tow services during winter events with the recommended change to By-law 93-93 Section 44

Conclusion

Our review of winter operations during the 20102011 winter season has concluded that overall the public was satisfied with the levels of service provided and the manner in which those services were delivered by the department As a result staff is not recommending any changes to the Council approved winter operations levels of service

A number of issues were identified as a result of the review

bull Staff will be changing the way sidewalk plows are allocated to sidewalk routes to

ensure that appropriately sized equipment is used to reduce plow damage to

boulevards

bull Staff is recommending that to reduce the environmental impact of winter operations and to improve the effectiveness of spring sweeping that the city discontinue the use of sand on local roads and that salt only be used Staff estimate a savings of approximately $100000 per year as a result of this initiative

bull Staff is recommending that By-law 93-93 Section 44 (Parking) be amended to

allow tagging or towing of vehicles during all winter operations

bull Staff will be working with the Planning Design and Development Department to

review the design standards for new subdivisions to balance planning objectives

with the impact narrower road rights of way have on the delivery of winter

operations

RE Dlfrpolito P Eng TW Mulligan P Eng Director Operations Commissioner Works and Transportation

Report authored by Ken Lauppe CET CRS-S Manager Road Operations 905-458-4888

li