Snow Plow Routes

There are 13 plow routes in the Municipality of Meaford. Ten of these routes are dedicated to roads, while the other three include parking lots and sidewalk clearing.

Road Classes

Roads are cleared in priority order based on their road class. Road classes are determined by the traffic counts for each road, so more highly-travelled roads are cleared first during snow events.

Road clearing standards are set by the Province of Ontario. Here are the regulations for each road class:

See the Urban Road Class Map or Rural Road Class Map to find out class of roads in your area.

Snow Plow Safety Tips: Do's and Don'ts for Sharing the Road

Do: Give snow plows plenty of space – About 5 car lengths.

Following too closely to a snow plow can reduce your visibility and increase your chances of being hit by winter debris including snow, ice, salt or abrasives, and rocks. You also put yourself at risk of collision if the snow plow comes to a stop. Maintain a safe distance from snow plows and if the roads are particularly slick, consider increasing this distance to 10 car lengths.

Don’t: Pass snow plows – It is not safe.

Some snow plows have a wing blade on the left or right side of the vehicle which may not be visible when plowing large amounts of snow. While passing snow plows is not illegal, it is reckless and can put yourself, snow plow operators and other drivers at risk of collision. 

Do: Drive as far to the right side of the road as (safely) possible when a snow plow is approaching in the opposite direction.

Avoiding the center line of the road will protect you, and your vehicle, from reduced visibility caused by blowing snow and debris.

Don’t: Assume the snow plow operator can see you.

Snow plows have significant blind spots and operators must rely on mirrors to see their surroundings. Combined with low visibility caused by blowing snow, you should never assume that the driver can see you. Your best defense is to keep your distance. 

Do: Give the snow plow operator a wave when they pull over to let you pass.

Snow plow operators work around the clock to clear, maintain, and provide safe routes of travel during the winter over the Municipality of Meaford’s 413 kilometers of roads. Your patience and kindness is greatly appreciated. 

Sidewalks

About 60% of our urban roads have sidewalks. The sidewalk plow route focuses on the downtown core, main street, and school areas.

The “no winter maintenance” sidewalks are deemed too narrow, do not lead anywhere, or cannot be maintained because of other issues.

For more information, see the Sidewalk Maintenance Map.

Significant Weather Events

As per Regulation 239/02 of the Ontario Municipal Act, a municipality may declare a significant weather event when the weather forecasted or current has the potential to pose a significant danger to the users of the roadway. Should a significant weather event be declared, this will suspend the standard timelines required for municipalities to meet their winter maintenance service level requirements. Under this declaration, all roadways and/or sidewalks are deemed to be in a state of repair for snow accumulation and/or ice conditions, until the municipality declares the event has ended. Once the municipality has declared the event has ended, standard timelines for winter maintenance service levels begin. 

Conditions

The conditions in which a significant weather event may be declared include: 

• Significant snow accumulation during a 24 hour period
• Excessive ice formation that occurs without warning from weather forecast
• High winds which lead to large snow drifts and blowing snow
• Freezing temperatures when de-icing operations will not be effective

The declaration of a significant weather event is not a notice of reduced service levels or road closures. It is to notify the public that due to the forecasted or current weather conditions, extra caution is to be utilized while travelling along municipal roadways and sidewalks, and that it may take longer than usual to restore these surfaces to their repaired state. In the event that the municipality declares a significant weather event, the Municipality of Meaford will communicate pertinent details to the public by distributing a media release and posting on our website and social media pages. 

Snow Clearing Tips

When clearing snow from your driveway, please remember to:

• Not push or blow snow into the streets or sidewalks.
• Keep fire hydrants clear so they are accessible in case of an emergency.
• Keep children from playing on or tunneling through snow banks as they may slip into the roadway, or have tunnels collapse
• Make sure your garbage and recycling bins are visible from the street and not placed on top of snow banks, out of reach of the operators.
• Keep your vehicle off the road so the roads can be ploughed thoroughly and so your vehicle doesn't get ploughed in.

Damage to Property

When preparing for the upcoming winter season residents should be making sure that their mailbox can withstand heavy snow thrown by passing plow trucks. Common maintenance repairs include replacing loose hinges on your mailbox, remounting a mailbox post that may have become loose or rotten as well as replacing and/or adding house numbers to assist mail carriers and emergency services. Repairing your mailbox and making sure the post is securely set in the ground will help withstand the force of the heavy snow coming off the snow plows. As you inspect your mailbox it is a good time to also install reflectors that make your mailbox and/or garbage bins easier to see during snow storms or during evening hours. 

Residents are responsible for keeping the area surrounding their mailboxes and/or garbage bins clear of snow so that they are visible to plow operators. If you are a seasonal resident, we ask that you keep your mailbox and garbage bins clear of snow or alternatively completely remove them from the roads edge if they are not being utilized over the winter months. 

Damage caused to mailboxes and garbage bins resulting from snow plowing operations will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Mailboxes and garbage bins that are damaged by direct physical contact with Municipal equipment will be repaired at the Municipality's expense, but only if they were properly located and installed, and only if the snow has been cleared from around them. Residents are responsible for repairs and/or replacements to their mailbox and/or garbage bins if they were damaged by the pressure of the plowed snow and there was no direct physical contact made with plow equipment, or if the snow was not removed from around the mailbox or garbage bin and it was not visible by plow operators. 

It is very uncommon that a mailbox or garbage bin is directly contacted with snow removal equipment. The average number of mailboxes that receive direct contact from snow removal equipment is less than one percent. 

If you believe a snow plow has damaged your mailbox, landscaping, or other property please submit a request to roads@meaford.ca with the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Contact Information
• Description of the Damage
• Approximate date and time of the damage

Staff will review your request and provide a response.