Plowing Streets of Springfield Township...

With budget cuts facing the Township, one of the services likely affected is snow removal. Did you know that every time the road crews are called out to salt and plow the roads, it costs the Township on *average $3,057 per hour in salt, gas and labor. (*average based on 2010 snow runs. See statistics at http://www.springfieldtwp.org/snowandice.cfm ) For reference, last year the Township spent $181,514.00 in salt to keep our neighborhood roads clear.
In most cases, the Township Service Department calls for all trucks to be on the roads with the onset of ice or snow causing slippery conditions. Ten drivers are sent out to cover over 92 lane miles of residential roads. While the Township services neighborhood streets, Hamilton County services the "county roads" in the township such as Winton, Galbraith and North Bend. (*With a few exceptions, most roads with a double yellow line in the Township are considered county roads and are served by Hamilton County.)
Keeping the roads clear comes at a price and you as a resident pay for that maintenance expense. Our question now goes out to the community - How important are clear neighborhood roads to you? What is your tolerance level when it come to driving in small amounts of snow on flat, straight intersections of the roadway? Keeping safety in mind, there would never be a compromise in icy conditions, however, is clearing roads necessary for 1/2 inch of snow? Comment by e-mail at residentspeak@springfieldtwp.org

* Springfield Township partners with other entities to purchase salt in a bulk rate. In years past, we have coordinated salt purchases with the City of Cincinnati or with Hamilton County. This year the Township Service Department collaborated with the Ohio Department of Transportation on salt purchasing to get a price of $60.74 per ton for salt.