Snow and Ice Control Policy
Table of Contents
Mission Statement
Cover Page
Objective
Cover Page
Snow Removal Equipment
1
Staffing of Equipment
1
Hours of Operation
1
Budget Constraints
1
Plowing and Sanding Standards
1
Anti-Skid Application
1
Road Classification Definitions for Snow Removal
1
Priorities
2
Authorization to Close County Roads as the Result of a Severe Winter Storm
2
Community Relations and Media Notification Process
3
Response to the Sheriffs Department’s Emergency Services Division
3
Search and Rescue
3
Severe Winter Storms
3
Mutual Aid
3
Contractors
3
Driveways and Private Roads
3
Landscaping
4
Utility Installations
4
Mailboxes, Newspaper Boxes and Driveway Monuments
4
Trash Cans
4
Dead Animals
5
Sidewalks
5
Ice Control Barrels
5
Abandoned or Parked Vehicles in Right-of-Way Vehicle Impeding Route
5
Plowing of Private Roads and Driveways
5
Plowing Snow onto County Right-of-Way from Private Property
5
Colorado Revised Statutes
6
EL PASO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
MISSION STATEMENT
To provide an effective Snow and Ice Control Program which enables the motoring
public to use the county road network during inclement winter weather. This is
accomplished by maintaining a reliable road network during winter storms.
OBJECTIVE
The principle objective of the El Paso County Snow and Ice Control Program is to
provide for the efficient flow of traffic within the county during periods of
inclement winter weather.
SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT
El Paso County Department of Transportation will maintain a fleet of snow removal equipment
to include trucks with plows and sanders, motor graders, front-end loaders, snow blowers, and
track type dozers.
STAFFING OF EQUIPMENT
El Paso County Department of Transportation will maintain its staffing at the level authorized by
the Board of County Commissioners.
HOURS OF OPERATION

After evaluating the severity of each snow or ice storm, the Department of Transportation
will determine the hours of operation.

If the snowstorm is of sufficient magnitude and duration, equipment will be mobilized at any
time and will operate on a 24 hour per day basis until the roads are opened.
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS
Due to budget constraints, the Board of County Commissioners may limit snow removal
operations.
PLOWING AND SANDING STANDARDS

El Paso County Department of Transportation does not have a bare pavement policy.

Limited sanding may be performed during the winter storm.

When the winter storm has stopped, the major sanding operation will commence if
warranted.

Sanding may be limited to hills, intersections, and curves.
ANTI SKID APPLICATION
The Department of Transportation will use a variety of anti-skid products including, but not
limited to, salt, sands and chlorides. The anti-skid products used will be consistent with
generally accepted practices.
The Road Classification definitions for snow removal are as follows:
PAVED ROAD SYSTEM
The paved system is generally plowed and sanded by trucks

Paved Priority One Roads are defined as all paved roads that are identified on the El Paso
County Major Transportation Corridor Map as major arterials and such other road sections as
defined by the Director of the Department of Transportation. The area of the county on this
map is located west of Peyton Highway.

Priority One Roads east of Peyton Highway are identified as all paved roads located on
section lines.

Paved Priority Two Roads are defined as roads that collect traffic from subdivision roads and
allow traffic circulation within residential neighborhoods, commercial, and industrial areas,
while providing channels to the major arterial system.

Priority Three Roads are defined as paved residential roads minus Priority Two Roads.
NON-PAVED ROAD SYSTEM
Motor graders generally plow the Non-paved system

Non-paved Priority One Roads are defined as gravel roads located on section lines.

Non-paved Priority Two roads are defined as roads allowing traffic circulation within
residential neighborhoods while providing channels to the major arterial system.

Non-Paved Priority Three roads are defined as roads which are residential in nature minus
collectors.
PRIORITIES

Snow plowing and ice control operations within El Paso County are considered a vital part of
the economic and social welfare of the county. Economics, however, require a balance
between the level of service and the resources available to perform the service.

Flexibility remains the cornerstone of this plan. To be effective, priorities must be reassessed
periodically and routes altered to keep pace with the changing population centers and traffic
volumes. The Department of Transportation will attempt to formulate routes and priorities
for snow removal and ice control with input from school districts, fire districts and the public
and will communicate what these are and when they change. Consequently the established
routes and priorities should be considered only as initial consideration subject to change at
the discretion of the Department of Transportation.

The main priority will be to provide plowed roads for emergency vehicles to respond to
emergencies involving human life and safety.

The snow will be plowed on the subdivision roads when time, available funds and equipment
permit.
AUTHORIZATION TO CLOSE COUNTY ROADS AS THE RESULT OF A SEVERE
WINTER STORM
The Director of the Department of Transportation, as the result of a severe winter storm, may
decide to close a portion of or all of the County’s road network. Notification will be to the
County Administrator and to the Community Relations Manager for notification to the media.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND MEDIA NOTIFICATION PROCESS
The Department of Transportation, through the Director or his designee, will be responsible for
providing the media with winter storm conditions and information relating to the county’s road
network.
RESPONSE TO THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT’S EMERGENCY SERVICES
DIVISION
During emergencies the Department of Transportation will provide an employee to support the
needs of the Sheriff Department’s Emergency Services Division.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
The Department of Transportation will assist in search and rescue operations as requested by the
Sheriff Department’s Emergency Services Division or policing authorities.
SEVERE WINTER STORMS

During severe winter storms with high winds and/or minimal visibility, the Department of
Transportation will not mobilize any equipment until conditions have improved to such a
degree that snow removal operations do not endanger the operators, the risk of equipment
damage is minimized, and the possibility of accidents is reduced.

When severe winter storm conditions warrant, the Department of Transportation may forego
the normal snow removal and ice control plan and issue orders to open as many roadways as
possible, one lane in width, before widening operations commence.

As a result of severe winter storms, the Department of Transportation may be required to
plow out and transport Department of Transportation employees to their reporting location.

When severe winter storm conditions warrant, the Department of Transportation may allow
certain employees to park snow removal equipment at their residence.
MUTUAL AID
The Department of Transportation may request equipment and operators from the Colorado
Department of Transportation, City of Colorado Springs Street Division, Colorado Springs
Airport, and the Military to assist in severe winter storms.
CONTRACTORS
During severe winter storm conditions, the Department of Transportation may hire private
contractors to assist in opening the county’s road network.
DRIVEWAYS AND PRIVATE ROADS

The Department of Transportation will not remove the snow from driveways and private
roads including the portion of these driveways and private roads that are in the County's road
right-of-way.

The Department of Transportation may maintain a list of private contractors that could
remove snow from driveways and private roads. The county will not pay for snow removal
from driveways and private roads.

During snow removal operations, El Paso County Department of Transportation will not
assume any responsibility for damage to driveways and private roads intersecting county
roads.

During snow removal operations, driveway and private road approaches may be obstructed.
The Department of Transportation will not assume any responsibility for opening driveways
and private roads that are obstructed.

Damage to driveway or private road culverts during snow removal operations will be
investigated and if the top of the culvert is less than 12" below the roadway shoulder, the
County will not assume any liability for the damage.
LANDSCAPING
During snow removal operations, El Paso County Department of Transportation will not assume
any responsibility for damage to any landscaping located within the County's road right-of-way.
UTLITIY INSTALLATIONS
During snow removal operations, El Paso County Department of Transportation will not be
legally responsible for damage caused by snow removal operations to utility installations in the
right-of-way.
MAILBOXES, NEWSPAPER BOXES AND DRIVEWAY MONUMENTS

Mailboxes within the County's right-of-way are installed at the risk of the owner. The
Department of Transportation does not assume the responsibility to clear snow around
mailboxes to insure mail delivery.

The County does not assume any legal responsibility for damage to mailboxes, mailbox
posts, driveway entry monuments, or newspaper boxes.

If damage does occur, the owner can notify El Paso County's Risk Management Department.
Risk Management will investigate the incident and determine the disposition of such incident
according to guidelines approved by the Board of County Commissioners.
TRASH CANS
Trash cans should not be placed in the County's right-of-way. The County will not accept any
responsibility for damage to trash cans during snow removal operations.
DEAD ANIMALS
The owner must remove privately owned animals that are injured or have died in the County's
rights-of-way. If the owner refuses to remove these animals, the County may, at their
convenience, remove them and bill the owner for all costs plus 25%.
SIDEWALKS

All sidewalks adjacent to private property are the responsibility of the private property owner
or tenants to remove snow.

Where the property owner or tenant has limited access to a sidewalk which is adjacent to a
Main Arterial or Collector, the Department of Transportation may remove the snow. This
will be done at the discretion of the Director of the Department of Transportation.
ICE CONTROL BARRELS
Ice control barrels containing anti-skid material may be placed at strategic locations at the
discretion of the Department of Transportation.
ABANDONED OR PARKED VEHICLES IN RIGHT-OF-WAY VEHICLE IMPEDING
ROUTE
If a vehicle is encountered during snow removal and/or ice control operations that has been
abandoned or parked within the right-of-way which impedes snow removal operations, the
County's operator may hook their equipment to the vehicle and move the vehicle to a location
that allows the operator to continue on their route. A policing authority may tow the vehicle
according to their policy or as otherwise authorized by law. The County will not assume any
responsibility for damage to the vehicle.
PLOWING OF PRIVATE ROADS AND DRIVEWAYS

El Paso County Department of Transportation will not perform any snow removal operations
on private roads or property, unless the department has received a request from policing
authorities or the Sheriff Department's Emergency Services Division.

In the case of fraudulent emergency claims, prosecution will be pursued to the full extent of
the law.
PLOWING SNOW ONTO COUNTY RIGHT-OF-WAY FROM PRIVATE PROERTY
The practice of pushing snow onto and leaving it on El Paso County roadways endangers the
traveling public, as well as, County plow drivers. The statutes of the State of Colorado make it
unlawful for a person to place an obstruction on the County's roadways. El Paso County
residents may receive a warning and/or a summons for snow pushed onto the County's roadways
from driveways, sidewalks and private parking lots.
Colorado Revised Statutes
The following Statute is a traffic violation:
CRS 43-5-301. Obstructing Highway - penalty. No person or corporation shall erect
any fence, house, or other structure, or dig pits or holes in or upon any highway, or place
thereon or cause or allow to be placed thereon any stones, timber, or trees or any
obstruction whatsoever. No person or corporation shall tear down, burn or otherwise
damage any bridge of any highway, or cause waste water or the water from any ditch,
road, drain, flume, agricultural crop sprinkler system or other source to flow or fall upon
any road or highway so as to damage the same or to cause a hazard to vehicular traffic.
Any person or corporation so offending is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than three
hundred dollars and shall also be liable to any person, unit of government, or corporation
in a civil action for any damages resulting therefrom. Upon a third conviction therefore,
the offender shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than three
hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than three days and
shall also be liable to any person, unit of government, or corporation in a civil action for
any damages resulting therefrom. Each day such condition is allowed to continue upon
any highway shall be deemed a separate offense.
The following Statute is a criminal violation:
CRS 18-9-107. Obstructing Highway or other Passageway. (1) An individual
corporation commits an offense if without legal privilege he intentionally, knowingly, or
recklessly:
(a) Obstructs a highway street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building entrance, elevator,
aisle, stairway, or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public has
access or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances,
whether the obstruction arises from his acts alone or from his acts and the acts of
others; or
(b) Disobeys a reasonable request or order to move issued by a person he knows to be a
peace officer, a fireman, or a person with authority to control the use of the premises,
to prevent obstruction of a highway or passageway or to maintain public safety by
dispersing those gathered in dangerous proximity to a fire, riot or other hazard.
(2) For purposes of this section, "obstruct" means to render impassable or to render
passage unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous.
(3) An offense under this section is a class 3 misdemeanor.