Winter Maintenance Equipment

The City of Timmins uses four separate pieces of equipment to maintain our roads in winter. Our combination of plows, loaders, sanders with underbody plow blades, and graders are deployed strategically to remove snow from our city roadways, sand or salt depending on road conditions, and remove snow. 

Each piece of equipment performs a different task and being able to recognize the equipment means you'll know what to expect as snow is cleared from your street.

We remind motorists to use extra caution when approaching snow plowing equipment. When safe to do so, operators may at times back up or travel into opposing lanes. Our operators of a road maintenance vehicles are also exempt from certain sections of the Highway Traffic Act when precautions are taken to eliminate any hazard. Motorists are advised to keep a safe distance from winter maintenance equipment, and if necessary and safe to pass, to always ensure they are seen by the operator.

 

	Snow plows are required to maintain our major arterial and collector roadways 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. City contractors are responsible for plowing the Connecting Link and major collector roads. City crews patrol our roads continually in winter and are ready to deploy plows quickly once snow accumulation reaches a certain depth as specific in the Minimum Maintenance Standard of Ontario. Plows clear a large amount of snow quickly from the road surface to the roadside (or snow storage area) and have the ability to sand or salt once the roadways are plowed.
	Loaders with blades are typically deployed overnight for plowing operations to move snow off the road and push back banks. They are dispatched into areas with tighter streets and with on-street parking. In a significant snowfall, loaders may be deployed during the day to help clear streets.
	City sanders have underbody plow blades or scrapers that can be lowered during sanding operations to help keep streets clear and make sure sand is being distributed effectively and not on top of fresh snow. The sanders will NOT clear large amounts of snow like a plow or loader. It is designed to sand or salt roads and clear enough snow so that roads are passable and have traction.
	Graders are typically used overnight and deployed as needed in town, including residential areas. Graders have the ability to provide down pressure so that they can cut the snow down and lower the snow depth on city roads, clear ice, and cut back banks. Graders can cut snow build-up and push snow as far back as possible onto the roadside.