An “Outside Look” at Snow and Ice Control in Omaha · 2009. 4. 10. · 2009 NASC Future Technologies • Omaha is pretty progressive – GIS mapping of snow routes – Beginning

4/26/09

2009 NASC

An “Outside Look” at Snow and Ice Control in Omaha

Presented byScott McIntyre, P.E., Street Maintenance Engineer – City of

Omahaand,

Larry Frevert, P.E., Vice President - HDR

Omaha, NE

• Population = 410,000 (432,921 in 2008 – Wikipedia)• Approximate Land Area in City Limits = 126 Sq. Mi.• Average Winter Snowfall = 30”• Typical Snow Storm Accumulation ~ 2”• Average Snow and Ice Control Expenditure per Year (2005-2008) ~ $4.35M• Strong Mayor form of Government with a City Council of 7 District Councilpersons• Lane Miles of Street

– Primary Arterials = 668– Secondary Arterials = 787– Collectors = 339– Residentials = 2,765– Total = 4,559

More Omaha “Stuff”• 42nd largest city in the US• Metropolitan area includes Council Bluffs, IA and total metro population ~

838,000 (60th largest metropolitan area in US)• 1090 feet above sea level”• Home to five Fortune 500 Companies

– ConAgra Foods– Union Pacific Corporation– Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc– Mutual of Omaha Companies– Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett, richest person in the world –

Forbes Magazine 2008)• 8th in America’s largest cities in both per capita billionaires and Fortune 500

Companies• Home to the NCAA College World Series• Henry Doorly Zoo• A Top 10 Tech Haven (Newsweek 2001)• Stockyards and Omaha Beef• HDR World Headquarters

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2009 NASC

March 1, 2007 Blizzard

• Official snowfall depth was 7” to 9”.

• Drifts of 24” reported.

• Winds gusts of 40 mph.

• Temperatures in the teens and 20’s throughout the first four days.

March 1, 2007 Blizzard

• Snowfall began Thursday morning (3/1).

• Light snow and heavy to moderate winds continued to Saturday evening (3/3).

• Drifting was a problem.

• Plowing was completed on Wednesday (3/7).

• Crews immediately went into a citywide pothole operation on Thursday (3/8).

Resources used during blizzard

• Every available Public Works and Parks Department operator and truck was engaged (120 plows).

• Approximately 25 contracted plows.

• Public Works received over 5,000 phone calls from public

• Public Works provided dozens of interviews to media.

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Why a study?

• Severe weather events focus attention on city services.

• Public interest in emergency response is heightened.

• Elected officials examine policies and re-consider funding.

Desired study outcomes

• Analyze new technologies

• Identify industry standards

• Identify constraints

• Build public confidence

• Provide basis for future investments and changes

Study Intent

1. Perform a “peer city” evaluation of mid-western cities of similar size and climate to Omaha’s thus evaluating relative resources and program capabilities

2. Assess the city’s existing program and readiness for snow and ice events

3. Conduct citizen interviews to determine taxpayer “satisfaction” with Omaha’s current snow and ice control program

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Peer City Review

• Peer Cities Contacted– Des Moines, IA *– Ft. Wayne, IN– Kansas City, MO *– Lincoln, NE *– Minneapolis, MN *– Peoria, IL * (snow and ice control expenditures “buried” in budget)– St. Louis, MO– St. Paul, MN * (provided centerline miles and not lane miles)– Sioux Falls, SD*– Toledo, OH– Wichita, KS * (does not service residential streets)

* Provided Peer City Data

Peer City Surveys (Page-1)


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2009 NASC



Peer City Findings

Average Snow and Ice Costs per Capita and Per 1" of Snow per Lane Mile

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

Omaha City 1 City 2 City 3 City 4 City 5 City 6 City 7 City 8

$ p

er

Cap

ita a

nd

per

1"

of

Sn

ow

per

Lan

e M

ile

Ave. Expenditure/Capita

Average Cost/1" of Snow /Lane-Mile

Ave. = $15.09 per Capita

Ave. = $43.34 per 1” of Snow per Lane Mile

$1

0.3

0

$3

0.8

6

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2009 NASC

Peer City Findings

Average Snow and Ice Costs Per Lane Mile and Per 1" of Snow per Square Mile of City

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

Omaha, NE City 1 City 2 City 3 City 4 City 5 City 6 City 7 City 8

$ p

er

Lan

e M

ile a

nd

per

1"

of

Sn

ow

per

Sq

uare

Mile o

f C

ity

Average Cost/Lane Mile

Average Cost/1” of Snow /Square Mile of City

Ave. = $1,718 per Lane Mile

Ave. = $1,219 per 1” of Snow per Square Mile of City

$9

26

$1

,11

7

Peer City Findings

Lane Miles per Operator and per Piece of Equipment

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Omaha City 1 City 2 City 3 City 4 City 5 City 6 City 7 City 8

Lan

e M

iles p

er

Un

it

Lane Miles/Operator

Lane Miles/Snow Plow

Lane Miles/Spreader

Ave. = 17 Lane Miles per Operator

Ave. = 22.9 Lane Miles per Snow Plow

Ave. = 38.0 Lane Miles per Spreader

23

.7

36

.8

52

.4

Consultant’s Opinion

• Omaha’s expenditures for snow and ice control annually are:

– 31% less per capita than its peer cities

– 46% less per lane mile than its peer cities

– 29% less per 1” of snow per lane mile than its peer cities

And,

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2009 NASC


• Omaha’s snow and ice control resources are expected to cover:

– 39% more lane miles per operator than its peer cities

– 61% more lane miles per snow plow than its peer cities

– 38% more lane miles per spreader than its peer cities

Review of Omaha’s Practices

• Received and reviewed numerous documents provided by the city

– Snow Plan Manual

– Organizational Chart

– Route Maps

– Narrative description of the snow and ice program

– Public information pamphlet (dated December 2005)

– Ordinances related to snow emergency routes and parking enforcement on those routes

And,

Review of Omaha’s Practices

• Interviewed and visited with the street maintenance engineer on numerous occasions

• Accompanied the street maintenance engineer on a “night run” during a January 2008 snow event

• Met with the street maintenance engineer’s supervisor (city engineer) and several of the division’s field supervisors, including the superintendent and two district foremen.

• A total of 14 City Staff Members were interviewed (including leaders of organized labor union)

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City Staff Interview Form

Client Practices Reviewed

• Program Goals and Objectives

• Public Information

• Organizational Structure

• Resources

• Chemical Usage

• Future Technologies

• Provide for Future Technology Exchanges with Peer Cities

• Ordinances Related to Adjacent Property Owner’s Responsibility to Clean Adjacent Sidewalks of Snow and Ice and Emergency No Parking Restrictions

Program Goals and Objectives

• The Snow and Ice Control Manual states:

– “On major streets, the Street Maintenance Division’s goal is to clear these streets of ice and snow to bare pavement a soon as possible.”

• Also,

– “Snow and ice control efforts are geared to provide access to the residential and business areas.” And,

– “Residential areas will be completed in as timely a manner as conditions allow.”

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The City of Omaha’s goal for clearing residential streets is too vague

Public Information• City takes a reactive approach to public

information – wait for the media to contact the city once a storm is forecast or occurs

• No pre-season mailings to citizens

• Favorable feedback on city’s e-mail (previously Fax) notifications to businesses of impending conditions

Consultant’s Opinions

The City of Omaha needs to be more proactive in their approach to public information about their snow and ice control program

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2009 NASC

Organizational Structure

• Street Maintenance Division is a “Flat Organization”

– Street Maintenance Engineer

– Street Maintenance Superintendent

– District Foremen

• Focused on quantity and quality of service within their district boundaries


The City of Omaha could benefit from increased administrative management/support and greater delegation of authority/ responsibility to field supervisors

Resources

124 Plowing Units and 87 Spreading Units

• Personnel– 122 Street Maintenance Division Operators and 50 “borrowed” personnel

= 86 per 12 hour shift

• Trucks:– 75 of 35,000 GVW or Greater, including 7 tandem axle trucks (w/ snow

plows, 64 with spreaders)

– 28 of less than 35,000 GVW (all w/ snow plows, 23 with spreaders)

– Pick-up trucks = 17 (all w/ snow plows, no spreaders)

• Motor graders = 4

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2009 NASC

Consultant Opinions

The City of Omaha is not investing adequately in the numbers of snow and ice control personnel and equipment and alternative equipment types could enhance productivity

Chemical Usage

• Salt

• Salt/Sand Mixtures

• Some use of liquid chemicals for “pre-wetting” salt and salt/sand mixtures

• No anti-icing

Consultant Opinions

The City of Omaha relies too heavily on sand and other abrasives and could enhance their program by incorporating liquid anti-icing practices

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Future Technologies

• Omaha is pretty progressive

– GIS mapping of snow routes

– Beginning to incorporate AVL in plowing/spreading units

– Use of Internet reporting technology for updating managers on route status

Omaha Public Works Department

Communication during a snow event

AVL System

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AVL Mapped Reports

AVL Tabular Reports

Google Docs (web based operation

report)

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Operation Log

Snow Ops (Web based GIS operation report)

Codespear

• Emergency call is made to any number of personnel on any number of devices.

• Call is initiated from a PC.

• Message is preset or custom.

• Records when call is acknowledged.

• Goes out to phones, pagers, emails, text messages, ….

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Codespear message

Notification Group


The City of Omaha is applying advanced technologies in its snow and ice control program management and should continue this effort

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Provide for Technology Exchange with Peer Cities

• Omaha participates in NE Chapter APWA

• Occasional dialogue with Lincoln, NE

• Visited Kansas City, MO several years ago


The City of Omaha could benefit from greater technological exchanges between its staff and other snow and ice control professionals

Ordinances Related to Adjacent Property Owner’s Responsibility to Clean Adjacent Sidewalks of Snow and Ice and Emergency No Parking

Restrictions

• Citizens don’t believe city addresses sidewalk clearing– City doesn’t advertise program but it is reactive to

citizen complaints

• City does not enact Emergency No Parking Restrictions on Snow Routes or doesn’t enforce them

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2009 NASC


The City of Omaha doesn’t adequately publicize its sidewalk clearing policy/program and ordinances that aren’t enforced are worse than useless

Citizen Interviews

• Interviewed 9 citizens (neighborhood association leaders) recommended by members of the City Council

• Met with 13 business people recommended by Chamber of Commerce and city staff, including City Council’s administrative staff

Citizen Interview Form

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2009 NASC

Top 5 Citizen Interview Comments

1. General satisfaction with major streets’ snow and ice control and general dissatisfaction with minor and residential streets

2. Generally ineffective pre-season public information efforts by the city, adequate to good during a storm

3. The city could make better utilization of equipment and technologies

4. Increased resources, personnel and equipment, are identified as the greatest needs to an improved snow and ice control program

5. The public is generally negative towards a tax increase or higher fees for city services but many felt if significant snow and icecontrol program improvements can be attained, they would be supportive

Recommendations

1. Develop a more comprehensive public information campaign regarding Omaha’s Snow and Ice Control Program, utilizing:

a. Pro-active media contactsb. Providing citizens with information packetsc. Utilizing Public Service Announcements (PSA) opportunities

through local cable TV providersd. Upgrading snow and ice control materials on the City’s websitee. Continue e-mail notifications to Omaha businesses on weather,

street conditions and city’s plan for early dismissal of employees due to driving conditions

f. Explain to the public their responsibility to ensure that sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice in a timely fashion and the city’s program to clear those, on a complaint basis, that aren't’ cleared by the property owner

g. Make these recommendations and the reports available to the citizens of Omaha

Recommendations

2. Update the Snow Program Manual

a. Identify program goals by street classification

b. Document salt or salt additive and abrasive applications rates by storm type

c. Incorporate information contained in separately provided “narrative description”into official program manual

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Recommendations

3. Determine desirability of retaining the current municipal ordinance regarding “Emergency No Parking”

• If desirable, enforce or if not desirable, eliminate it

Recommendations

4. Make resource related changes to the City’s Snow and Ice Control Program

a. Number of personnel (authorized and filling vacancies)

b. Authorize an Assistant to the Street Maintenance Engineer

c. Delegate more authority to field level supervisors

d. Training of personnel

e. Evaluate purchase of wing plows

f. Emphasize salt or salt alternatives usage and minimize sand and other abrasives usage

g. Incorporate anti-icing into program

h. Evaluate opportunities to re-assign existing pick-up trucks and purchase more in the future – residential street plowing/salting

Recommendations

5. Invest in capability to improve snow and ice control program by increasing equipment replacement funding and continuing to specify equipment best suited to the snow and ice control needs of the city

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2009 NASC

Recommendations

6. Invest in more modern technology

a. Anti-icing

b. Fixed spray applicators

c. “Plow vision” tracking

Changes in Omaha’s snow plan began in 2008 / 2009 snow

season

Organized web site

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2009 NASC

Better content

Brine Truck

Warning sign & light bar

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2009 NASC

Fill connection

Control valves

Brine Storage

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2009 NASC

Questions?

Documents

An “Outside Look” at Snow and Ice Control in Omaha · 2009. 4. 10. · 2009 NASC Future Technologies • Omaha is pretty progressive – GIS mapping of snow routes – Beginning