Helpful Snow Removal Information

The Public Works Department clears your street curb-to-curb. Following these guidelines helps us clear your streets in a safe and efficent manner:

• If possible, wait until the snowplows have cleared your street before shoveling your driveway. If you do shovel before your street has been plowed, remember to shovel the snow to the side of the driveway where the plow passes last. This way, your driveway won’t get plowed shut after you have shoveled.
• Please remember that Township Ordinance prohibits blowing or throwing snow back onto the street after it has been cleared.
• It is also important to remember to move your vehicle off of the street when possible. If you cannot move your vehicle, please try to park it on the east side of your street. This provides a safer and faster snow removal process for our operators.
• Remember that you are responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of your house within 24 hours from the time the snow stops.

Which roads get plowed first?

Springettsbury Township has a winter maintenance agreement with PennDOT for snow removal on 15 miles of roadway. Snow removal from roads in the Township is prioritized as follows: the most heavily used streets will be cleared first followed by Township collector streets, emergency roads and areas with steep slopes. Residential streets are cleared on a rotating basis. This means that an area that was cleared first in one storm may be plowed last in the next storm.

 

Homeowners Reminder to Prepare Mailboxes for Winter

 

Springettsbury Township reminds homeowners to prepare mailboxes for winter. Snow that is thrown from plows can damage mailboxes if they are not properly prepared and secured. A properly secured and located mailbox should be able to withstand the force of snow thrown from a plow, even in the worst conditions. Mailboxes should be placed as far from the edge of the road as possible yet still in reach of a mail carrier from a vehicle. Mailboxes are normally placed within the Township’s legal right-of-way however, mailbox damage due to snow and not hit directly by the plow or truck is the homeowner’s responsibility.

Here are a few tips to help reduce mailbox damage:

·        Place reflective tape on the mailbox to help operators see them at night.

·        When removing snow from around the mailbox, throw snow behind it and not to the sides.

·        Make sure the post is in good condition and the box is fastened securely to the post

·        If damage was experienced in the past, reconsider the positioning and structure before winter.

 

For a copy of plans to build a snow proof, cantilevered mailbox support, please visit www.dot.state.pa.us. For information about correctly positioning a mailbox, contact your local post office.