As we enter February, we know there’s still plenty of punch left in Old Man Winter. If the Farmer’s Almanac is right, there’s still a bit of snow between us and Springtime. We’ve had a few snow events this season, which can make the holidays feel like the holidays. But the inconvenience of travelling in the snow overrides the aesthetic beauty, especially now. With the expectation of a couple more events this season, I thought you’d be interested in some facts and figures on how the township deals these events and the associated costs.
Harrison Township has 240 lane-miles of roads to plow, with more than 50 individual housing developments that include nearly 100 cul-de-sacs. We have a total of 14 trucks equipped for plowing, nine of which are also capable of laying down salt. There are 17 drivers available that include 13 fulltime employees from our Public Works and Wastewater Treatment departments and four fire district members who also work in the public works department. In major events, we will also bring in part-time drivers as needed.
The standard plowing operation will commence once three inches have fallen and dependent upon the expected duration of the storm. The objective is to make one sweep of the town, since that will take approximately 12 hours. But if the snowfall exceeds 6six inches, it will usually require multiple sweeps with a rotating workforce. A single salt application for the average snow event will require 60–70 tons of salt at a cost of $53 a ton, resulting in approximately a $3,500 expenditure. By the way, did you know that salting loses its effectiveness as the temperature drops? In fact, temperatures in the low-teens will render salt almost useless. There are two other important factors to maximize the impact of salting: sun and movement. The sun’s warmth and vehicle traffic will enhance the melting process. That’s why major roads are usually cleaner than local/side roads. The more movement, the better. That explains why Main St or Rt. 322 will be a clean blacktop, while the streets in your development will still be snow-covered after plowing.
On an annual basis, we will budget $30,000 for salt and $25–30,000 for overtime compensation. Any unused funds are transferred to a rolling trust fund designed to be tapped in years when the annual budget is exceeded.
As a resident, my only focus when it snows (especially when it’s significant) is when and how effectively my street is plowed, right? But there’s a lot of planning and preparation involved. Most importantly, we have a great crew in Harrison that makes it all happen. We appreciate that they will hit the streets at three a.m., if necessary, to ensure our safety and mobility in the morning. They take pride in that work and our community says, Thank You!
