Snowstorm Preparedness

Hampton Roads may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of a Winter Wonderland, but Chesapeake's Public Works Department is committed to being prepared for any ice and snow challenges the cold season may bring.

Each November, over 100 team members from the Public Works Department gather for Snow Equipment Inspection Day to assess trucks, snowplows, spreaders, and supplies like salt, sand, and brine solution. The annual inspection ensures that Public Works personnel is adequately trained, and all machinery is operating effectively.

When snow is forecasted, pre-treatment depends on conditions. For dry starts, roads and bridges may be treated with brine solution (liquid salt). For rainy starts, brine is ineffective, so teams spread salt on emergency routes first, and then branch off to other roads. Plowing begins when accumulation reaches about 2" of snow.

The process of clearing and treating snow and ice on roadways follows a prioritized sequence designed to keep the city operational and citizens as safe as possible.

• Emergency Routes come first. These critical roads link traffic to hospitals, interstates, and nearby cities, while also offering essential north/south and east/west corridors throughout the city.
• Primary Routes are next. These high-volume roads function as major travel paths and collection systems that feed into the Emergency Routes.
• Secondary and connector routes are the final point of emphasis. These corridors experience moderate to lower traffic and facilitate movement from neighborhoods to primary roads, while also providing valuable connections for travel and services.

Maps of these classifications can be found on the City's website at www.CityOfChesapeake.net/Snow on the Weather Emergencies page.

A common question is why the snow response plan does not include plows or salt trucks for neighborhood streets. With over 2,300 lane miles of roadway in the city, a minimum of 50 additional plow trucks and drastic increases in staff would be necessary to effectively service residential areas. In addition, tight geometries and parked cars can make plowing in neighborhoods difficult and ineffective. As conscientious stewards of taxpayer dollars, a fiscally responsible snow response plan was developed based on the infrequent winter weather typically experienced in southeastern Virginia.

Images: Snow Equipment Inspection Day

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