Questions and answers
What is the basic pass order?
Clear the main through lanes first, then turn lanes, then crossings and ramps, working so that the snow goes to the outside and not across places pedestrians or vehicles need. Adapt to your layout.
Where do edges catch?
- Raised islands and curb noses at turn pockets.
- Utility covers and drains near intersections.
- Rail crossings, if any.
- Raised pavement markers and rumble strips.
- Joints and patches where the pavement is uneven.
How do we avoid windrows across crossings?
Approach so that the snow goes away from the crossing, and use a clean-up pass or lift the blade before the crossing, as your equipment and rules allow. Where windrows cannot be avoided, plan who clears them and when.
How do we handle traffic?
Intersections have conflicts, so follow your agency’s safety practices, use lights, and watch for vehicles and pedestrians. Do not rush a pass.
How do we plan for each intersection?
Walk the main ones in daylight and write the pass order on the route sheet with a sketch. Mark strike zones on the sketch.
Template: intersection plan
| Item | Notes for each intersection |
|---|---|
| Name and layout | Sketch with lanes, islands, crossings |
| Pass order | Numbered passes |
| Strike zones | Islands, covers, joints, markers |
| Snow storage | Where the snow goes without blocking crossings |
| Follow-up | Who clears windrows and when |
Teach the new driver the sketches
New drivers learn intersections faster from a sketch than from a description. Print the sketches, put them in the cab and walk each one with the driver on the first night.
After the first storm
Ask each driver which intersection gave the most trouble and why. Walk it together the next morning, with the sketch in hand, and change the pass order if needed. Intersections that cause repeat trouble deserve a note on the route sheet, a photograph in the briefing pack and, where the cause is the road itself, a conversation with the road owner.
Boundary: No local rule, practice or measurement is cited; follow your agency’s safety practices at intersections.
Further reading on this site.
Intersections, Bridge Decks and Shaded Sections: Packed Ice Tactics by Location ↗Thread Turning Inserts and Machining Wear: What to Check Before Substituting ↗Carbide snow plow blades ↗Does Plowing Faster Wear the Edge Faster? Test It With Your Logs ↗Reading a Published Blade Trial: Seven Questions to Ask About Method ↗Where Does the Snow Go? Pile Space, Melt Paths and Edge Wear on Gravel Storage Sites ↗
