Plowing Procedures| Sidewalks & Driveways | Refuse Containers | Mailboxes |
School Crossings + Buses | Fire Hydrants | Plow Damage | Parking Ban

• To make sure the approximately 6,000 catch basins throughout town are clear to accept water, and
• To maintain the travel width of the street. In a normal winter, the snow berms at the side of the street can gradually reduce the travel width of the street.

The large piles of snow at the corners of my street are so high I can't see oncoming traffic. Who is responsible for removing the snow?
If the intersection is not signalized 24/7 and the piles cause a line of sight problem, the DPW will remove the snow to the extent the line of sight problem is eliminated. Following large snow storms, this may take some time and depend upon reports received from motorists to alert us to a particular problem intersection. Otherwise it is the responsibility of the property owner to remove the snow if it is covering a sidewalk.

The catch basin on my street is covered with snow. Who is responsible to clear it?
The DPW, but any assistance by abutting property owners would help and would be appreciated.

My street is so narrow that 2 cars cannot pass side by side. What will be done?
This usually happens for 2 reasons: 1) A smaller truck with a smaller plow is used and it cannot move larger amounts of snow completely off the side of the street, or 2) Property owners or their landscapers place snow in the street. Streets that are less than 2 travel lanes wide will be widened after the storm as crews and equipment are available. In some cases this may result in some snow being cast back onto already cleared sidewalks and driveways or placed back onto grassed areas.

I live on a cul-de-sac and I get more snow in my driveway and on my property than anywhere else in town. Why?
Plowing cul-de-sacs is one the most challenging operations during a snow storm. Most properties on cul-de-sacs have frontages which are narrower than lots on a straight street. Therefore, snow must be pushed into a smaller space. Cul-de-sacs without islands contain even more area which needs to be plowed and, as a result, even more snow has to be moved to the side.

Why do the plow trucks have to drive so fast?
The goal is to get the snow off the street. Drivers are directed to drive as fast as necessary to accomplish that task. The speed of the truck is directly related to any combination of the following factors: 1) The volume of snow on the street, 2) The consistency of the snow, and 3) The height of the berms on the side of the street. The plow truck must travel faster to throw heavier and/or deeper snow over higher berms.

Why hasn't my street been plowed yet?
This generally becomes an issue when we plow during the day season. During the night season the majority of people don't know when their street was plowed. Main streets and areas around schools (when they are in session) are plowed first and then residential streets. The reasons are: 1) The main streets carry the most traffic volume, and 2) We want the ingress to and egress from the schools to be as safe as possible. It takes us up to 8 hours to completely clear a snow plow route. Unfortunately, someone on that route will be first and someone will be last.

Is the DPW responsible for plowing all the streets in West Hartford?

No. Several streets in Town are the responsibility of the State DOT. They are:

• Newington Road
• New Britian Avenue
  
• South Main Street from New Britain Avenue to Hooker Drive
• Ridgewood Road from New Britain Avenue to I-84.
• Farmington Avenue from Old Mill to the Farmington town line.
• Albany Avenue
• North Main Street from Albany Avenue to the Bloomfield town line.
• Simsbury Road
• Bloomfield Avenue
  

Why do you put snow on my sidewalk and in my driveway?
This is not done intentionally. Snow cast onto side walks and into driveways is an unfortunate byproduct of a very necessary service we provide. When we plow a street we are simply moving the snow that is in the street off to the side of the street. The greater the amount of snow, the more snow that is deposited on the side. A normal cast from the plow is up 8 feet. Sidewalks and driveways are necessarily located in that cast zone.

Why the excessive amount of snow in my driveway?
The amount of snow that ends up on the side of the street is a function of the amount of snowfall. The greater the snowfall the greater the amount at the side of the street. For example, if 18" of snow pushed straight to the side of the street from the center line of a 28' wide street will most likely create a 6' high berm.

Who is responsible to clearing the handicapped sidewalk ramp at the corner of my property?
Handicapped ramps are considered part of the sidewalk system and therefore, it is the responsibility of the abutting property owner to keep them clear.

Will the Town remove the snow they cast onto my already cleared sidewalk or driveway?
No. Property owner's have up to 12 hours after the storm ends or after sunrise, whichever is later, to clear their sidewalks. Please wait until the street is completely cleared, which may take up to 8 hours, before clearing your sidewalk or driveway.

Can I pay the Town to clear my walk or driveway?
No.

What happens when a property owner fails to clear their sidewalk?
The police are notified and may issue a ticket for the Town Ordinance violation. Currently the fine is $79 and each day the violation continues is a separate offense. If the walk is still not cleared, another ticket is issued and the DPW is notified. The DPW issues a letter directing the property owner to clear the sidewalk. If the property still fails to clear the walk, the DPW will clear the walk on overtime and invoice the property. That charge will be in addition to any fines which may have been imposed.

How long do I have to clear my sidewalk?
12 hours from the time the storm ends or sunrise, whichever is later.

What if I can't clear all the snow and/or ice off my sidewalk?
Then you must make the sidewalk safe to walk on by using abrasives such as sand.

Can I get sand from the Town?
There is public sand supplies located in Town for residential use only at the public works facility on Brixton Street by the Animal Shelter.

Where do I put my refuse containers when there are snow berms at the edge of the street?
The contract with the refuse collection company requires containers to be within 10 feet of the street. The best locations for your containers are: 1) To one side of the driveway entrance, 2) On the sidewalk adjacent to the driveway entrance while making sure there is room for a person walk past them, and 3) Shovel a shelf on top of, or into, the snow berm. Do not put containers in the travel portion of the road.

Who is responsible for clearing in front of my mailbox?
We plow the streets curb to curb, or as close as we can get. Whatever snow is left in front of mail boxes is the responsibility of the property owner to remove or at least make the mail box accessible to the mail carrier. If we made a mistake and left an unreasonable amount of snow on the edge of the street we will return and cut back as much as we can.

Who repairs my damaged mailbox?
We will only repair a mail box if our plow physically strikes the mail box. We will not repair a mail box if the damage is caused by the cast from the plow. People with street-side mail boxes are encouraged to follow United States Postal Services guidelines regarding the erection of the posts for sturdiness and the height of the bottom of the mailbox (approximately 4' to allow the plow to sweep beneath the mail box).

There is a school crossing guard assigned at the corner of my property. Who is responsible to clear a path from the sidewalk to the street?
The abutting property owner.

Shouldn't school bus routes get the highest priority?
School buses virtually travel on every road in town. Since we can't be everywhere at once, that is one of the reasons schools are closed, dismissed early or openings delayed.

Who is responsible for clearing the fire hydrants?
The Fire Department is responsible for fire hydrants except those which are part of private fire suppression systems (typically in commercial developments), but any assistance by abutting property owners would help and be appreciated.

Who is responsible for repairing plow damage?
The DPW will repair any plow damage it causes except to any objects located in the street right of way without a permit from the DPW. The street right of way generally extends approximately 10' from the edge of the edge of the street. This most often applies to sprinkler systems.

How do I report plow damage?
Contact the DPW by telephone, mail or e-mail. Describe the damage you believe we caused, the location on your property and when you believe it occurred. We will investigate and if we determine we are responsible we will place it on a list to be repaired. If we believe we are responsible we will let you know.

When will the damage be repaired?
As soon as the weather allows us, usually in the Spring. Lawn damage is repaired first followed by curbs and driveway aprons. With all repairs, each year we alternate starting at one end of town or the other and move systematically through the town.

Who declares a parking ban?
The DPW does.

How long does a parking ban last?
Parking bans are declared for a set time. Generally, the time frame for a ban is from about the time we believe we will begin a plowing operation until 8 hours after the anticipated end of the storm.

What happens when a parking ban is declared?
Any vehicle parked on the street during a parking ban is subject to being ticketed by the Police Department. Any vehicle parked on the street during the parking ban will be towed if it hinders the plowing operation at any time, or it is parked on the street during the final clean up.

What happens if my vehicle is towed during a parking ban?
The vehicle is first ticketed and then it is towed by the Town's towing contractor to a central location. The vehicle owner is responsible for paying all charges associated which may include, but not be limited to: 1) The ticket, 2) The tow and mileage charges, and 3) Any storage charges.

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