- by Anne Finlay-Stewart

Snow and ice may seem far away today, but they were on council's mind last night.

Director of Operations Ken Becking delivered his winter road review and recommendations for the 2015-16 season and beyond.

It appears that Owen Sound is delivering a level of service in winter maintenance "well in excess" of its own policies, and bringing us in line with provincial standards and accepted practices will have several benefits. The report's six recommendations could result in as much as $300,000 in savings per year, depending on the severity of the winter, as well as reducing the negative environmental effects of excess road salt.

Owen Sound applied almost11,000 tonnes of salt to its roads last winter – equivalent to 2 inches on every roadway in the city. Reducing salt usage to a rate of 130 to 150 kg/2 linear km would result in an immediate savings of up to $200,000, and dramatically reduce the environmental impact on the water in the bay. Using a salt pre-treated with magnesium chloride which allows it to act faster and at lower temperatures, and applying it in a "bead" at the crown of the road rather than broadcasting it, will also improve the effectiveness of that service, according to the report.

Becking expects that Owen Sound would be sufficiently served by the existing equipment operated in two shifts per day under most conditions – keeping plows off the road between midnight and 4 a.m. when less than 2 percent of the daily traffic is on the roads. Extra shifts would be deployed during severe weather, but even allowing for overtime the savings would be significant.

The priority routes in Owen Sound are through the city - 9th Avenue East from the southern limit through to 16th Street, 16th Street East itself, and our biggest challenge - 10th Street up and down the valley. For the coming winter, the plan is to run two plows in tandem in one direction on 10th Street, clearing the road more quickly, avoiding the "windrow" in the centre and allowing those trucks to clear other roads in the area before returning to 10th Street as necessary.

Becking agreed that one of the challenges of the new protocols will be training staff on the changes. He said the review was done in discussion with operations staff, and their perspectives and ideas were integrated into the recommendations. The report itself carried Becking's signature, but was delivered on behalf of the senior management team as is now the practice at city hall.

The recommendations were accepted unanimously, with the understanding that they will be phased in over several years and monitored closely. More specific information will be forthcoming from city hall before winter to help residents plan for the snow season ahead.<