Snow Plowing
Northumberland County maintains approximately 900 lane kilometres of County roads during winter operations.
During winter weather events, our crews are responsible for:
- Plowing and salting/sanding County Roads
- Snow removal at some towns and villages in Northumberland
County roads are maintained in accordance with O.Reg. 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) for Municipal Highways and in accordance with our 2024 Salt Management Plan.
Clearing county roads
All municipal roads are divided into road classes based on traffic volumes and posted speed limits, as outlined in the Province of Ontario's Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) for Municipal Highways. Based on these classifications, County roads range from classes 2 through 4 with Class 2 roads being the highest priority, having the most vehicles travelled, and Class 4 roads being lightly travelled.
Our Roads team consistently monitors weather reports throughout the winter to dispatch snowplows as needed to prevent and treat icy roadways, and to respond to snowfall accumulation within the timeframes below. Plows are dispatched as soon as it starts snowing, to clear the way for our community. While this chart reflects *minimum* standards identified by the Ministry, our teams strive to exceed these timelines.
| Road class | Depth of snow accumulation | Timeframe for clearing snow | Timeframe for ice prevention treatment | Timeframe for treatment of icy roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5 cm | 6 hours | 8 hours | 4 hours |
| 3 | 8 cm | 12 hours | 16 hours | 8 hours |
| 4 | 8 cm | 16 hours | 24 hours | 12 hours |
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View our County Road Classes Map or find your road in the list below:
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To learn more about how we maintain County roads during a snowfall, view our Winter Operations infographic.
Driving in the snow
If you must drive during bad weather, remember to:
- Clear all snow and ice from your car before driving
- Slow your roll and drive slow in the snow – follow posted speed limits and give yourself extra travel time
- Keep a safe space from other cars
- Be patient when driving behind a snowplow – snowplows only drive a maximum of 30-40 km/hr but they are working to make your commute as safe as possible
- Never attempt to pass a working snowplow
- Be prepared in case of an emergency by making sure you have a car survival kit readily available
For more helpful tips and information about winter driving, visit the Transport Canada website.