Articles originally published in The Road, December 2015.

Cost Effective Plowing

When the snow starts to fall, the Road Commission will be ready at the helm. As snow storms hit, Road Commission crews will be out there plowing and salting to ensure the roads remain as safe as possible. But it's not just major snow storms that require us to crank up our salt trucks and plows. In fact, freezing rain or a light dusting of snow that turns to ice can cause “headaches” for our crews for hours on end. 

Invisible “black ice” completely covers a roadway. Would you be able to tell it was there if you were driving on this road? Most likely, you would not until your car began to slide!

To ensure we are prepared when bad weather hits, the weather is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the winter using several weather services. During a typical year, the Road Commission will respond to approximately 50 winter maintenance callouts, and will use about 20,000 to 25,000 tons of salt, and 14,000 to 18,000 tons of sand. The cost of winter maintenance can easily be up to $3.7 million annually, depending upon inclement weather conditions and the duration of the winter months.  

A policy was developed in order to provide cost effective winter maintenance operations and to inform the public about the level of winter maintenance services for roadways maintained by the Road Commission. The type or method of winter maintenance operation is determined by a number of factors such as, but not limited to: road conditions, weather forecasts, nature and type of storm event, time and duration of storm event, etc. The level of winter maintenance service is conducted in accordance with the established priority system based on several factors including traffic volumes, road classification, and location. The priorities are as follows:

1. State Highways
2. Multi-lane Primary Roads
3. Primary Roads
4. Local Paved Roads
5. Subdivision Streets
6. Local Gravel Roads
7. Dead End Streets and Cul-de-sacs

It is the Road Commission’s objective to minimize the utilization of overtime and consumption of materials, while achieving a primary goal of traversable roadways. Normal winter maintenance hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:00AM to 3:30PM except on holidays. A regular “night” winter maintenance patrol of two drivers are available Monday through Friday throughout the evening. A regular winter maintenance patrol of two drivers are also available Saturday and Sunday for the state highway system only.

What to Do if Your Mailbox is Damaged

If your mailbox is damaged by Road Commission equipment or snow thrown from Road Commission equipment during winter maintenance operations, you may receive a new standard mailbox and/or a single 4”x4” wood post at one of the garage locations listed below. It is requested that you provide either the actual damaged mailbox/post or a photo of the actual damaged mailbox/post before a new standard mailbox and/or a single 4”x4” wood post can be issued. Upon receipt of a new mailbox and/or post, you will be asked to sign a register and provide the property address. Please note that you are responsible for removing the damaged mailbox/post and installing the replacement mailbox/post. Standard mailboxes and posts can be picked up at any of the following locations: Grand Haven | 14110 Lakeshore Drive Coopersville | 526 Cleveland Street Holland | 12150 Ransom Street Hudsonville | 2232 Chicago Drive Please call (616) 842-5400 to set up an appointment. The locations are open Monday through Friday, except on holidays. Appointments are made between the hours of 7:30AM and 3:30PM.

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