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Location: Ministry Home > Highway Management > Snow and Ice Control

Snow and Ice Control on Ontario's Highways

Adjusting to Winter Conditions

Photo of snowplowOntario winters are challenging for motorists, as well as for Ministry of Transportation staff and contractors responsible for snow and ice control on our provincial highways.

Road user safety is a top priority of the Ministry of Transportation and every effort is made to promote safe highways and to provide an efficient winter maintenance service for the public.

However, weather conditions can be variable and unpredictable, placing extra demands on your vehicle and your driving skills. Take the time to ensure you are well prepared for winter roads and always adjust your speed to existing conditions.

Stay well back to help snowplows do their job.

Making Room for the Plows

To do the job right, snowplows and salt and sand trucks must travel slower than regular traffic. Sight lines and visibility near a working snowplow are severely restricted by blowing snow, and passing can be dangerous. When you see the flashing blue lights of these vehicles, remain at a safe distance.

Echelon Plowing

Photo of echelon plowingis the practice of staggered snowplows operating across all lanes of a roadway. Though sometimes annoying to drivers, it is often the safest and most efficient snow removal method for multi-lane highways. Plowing in echelon clears all lanes at once by passing a ridge of snow from one plow to the next. It is extremely dangerous to pass either between or around these snowplows because of whiteout conditions and the ridge of snow being passed between plows.

DID YOU KNOW . . .
For effective operations, snowplows and salt or sand spreaders must travel at speeds considerably slower than the maximum speeds posted for highways. Please be patient and stay well back while snow and ice control crews are at work.

Melting Snow and Ice

Road salt is among the most effective snow and ice control materials available for winter road safety. Timely application of salt will prevent snow and ice from bonding to the road surface. For this reason, salt is often spread early in a storm to prevent snow buildup and to aid in snow removal operations.

Photo of sand spreaderRoad salt, assisted by sun, traffic and warmer daytime temperatures, is also used as a melting agent to eliminate icy or snow-packed conditions. You may notice that salt is often applied in a narrow strip along the centre or high point of the highway. This provides a salt-water mixture which flows across the roadway, ensuring the most efficient and effective use of the material.

The Ministry of Transportation employs and recognizes the importance of best salt-management practices. The ministry will continue to investigate ways to control and reduce salt usage while ensuring highway safety.

Sand & salt play a big role in safe roads.

Providing Traction

Illustration of thermometerDID YOU KNOW . . .
The effectiveness of road salt is greatly reduced when temperatures fall lower than -12o C. This is why bare pavement is hard to achieve below -12o C.
Sand is useful as an abrasive to provide traction on slippery surfaces. Unlike salt, it does not melt snow and ice.

Sand is used most often when temperatures are too low for salt to be effective. Sand is also used at higher temperatures if traction is required immediately, particularly on hills, curves, bridge decks, shaded areas, intersections and on snow-packed roads. Extra caution should be exercised when driving in these road conditions.

Snow & Ice Control Standards

Ontario's snow and ice control standards are consistent with the best practices used across North America. Traffic volumes and road type determine how quickly highways are serviced.

Ministry uses best practices.

A severe or long storm may delay restoration to normal conditions, even with the best efforts of crews.

With the onset of a storm, plowing commences promptly and priority is given to the main lanes on highways—it may take up to eight hours for plows or sanders to reach all ramps and low-volume roads.

Snow and ice control standards indicate a specified time for roadways to be restored to normal conditions after a storm has ended. Depending on traffic volume and road type, the standard varies. For example, the standard is eight hours for freeways. Some roads are maintained in snow-packed conditions throughout the winter.

On roads with the lowest volumes or gravel surfaces, sand is used to maintain traction on snow packed conditions.

Technological Improvements

Photo of weather information towerThe Ministry of Transportation is continually working on improvements in snow and ice control operations and on safe ways to reduce salt usage. Some technologies currently in use are:

Contracting of Snow & Ice Control Services

The Ministry of Transportation contracts its snow and ice control services, but sets the standards used by contractors and monitors operations before, during and after winter storms. Contractors are closely scrutinized for compliance to standards and penalties for failure are severe, including loss of contract.

DID YOU KNOW . . .
The Police have the authority to close highways. Sometimes the safest and best action is to close a highway until weather conditions improve enough to allow snow control operations to be carried out.

Changing Road Conditions

Maintenance crews monitor weather and road conditions, day and night, seven days a week throughout the winter. Crew reports are updated four times daily, or more often as closures occur and as road conditions change. Despite the best efforts of snow and ice control crews, extreme weather may prevent the roads from being restored quickly.

Check conditions and exercise caution.

Road Closures

Extreme weather may result in the closing of roads. Respect road closures and do not attempt to drive on these roads until re-opened. Always obey emergency road closing signs/barriers and follow the directions of any police officer. It's for your safety. Remember, it is against the law to drive on a closed highway.

Emergency Vehicles

Every day, police, fire, ambulance and other emergency vehicles respond to urgent calls. Precious time lost getting to their destination could mean the difference between life and death. Seconds can save a life. Take lights and sirens seriously. Clear the way. Pull to the right and stop. It's the law.

Road Ready and Weather Wise

Check road conditions online.

ISBN 0-7794-2217-1



Last Modified: December 9, 2002