Ramsey Resident - 2004 - February

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6 Snowmobile Article Continued From Page 4 WHAT EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED ON A SNOWMOBILE? . Bral(es to stop and control the movement of the snowobile. . A "dead man throttle". . A headlight of sufficient intensity to reveal people or obj ects at a distance of 100 feet. . At least one red taillight. . 16 square inches of reflective material in front of the handle bars. . The muffler must be in working order and not modified at all. . If towing people or things you must use a rigid tow bar. Although a landowner maintains the road right-of-way, they are publicly owned. Therefore, landowners CANNOT place barricades, fences, posts, or other objects, including snow piles, in the right-of-way. If they place such items in the right-of-way they are subject to civil liability in the event these items cause injury or damage to a vehicle. Please contact the Ramsey Police Department for a full copy of the snowmobile ordinances at (763) 427-6812. The map below depicts the MUSA and non-MUSA areas of the City - areas below the blacl( line are MUSA, above the black line are non-MUSA. CITY POLICY ON SNOW REMOVAL, ICE CONTROL The control of snow and ice through quick and effective snowplowing ensures safe transportation for citizens, emergency vehicles, and the ongoing commercial activity in Ramsey. Due to the significant amount of public dollars spent on these services, it is the city's goal to manage and operate winter road maintenance in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Because timing is critical for snow and ice control, the City's goal is to achieve roads clear of snow in a reasonable time period. This is always dependent upon the type and amount of snow. The City cannot guarantee bare, dry pavement after each snowfall, or that streets will be totally free of ice or other driving hazards common to Minnesota winter conditions. Snowplowing begins after the accumulation of two inches of snow. It tal(es City crews approximately eight hours to clear streets after a "normal" snowfall of two to four inches. During major snow accumulations, emergency plowing operations usually begin about 2:00 a.m. In those situations, lead personnel will begin plowing as soon as possible so that primary arterial roadways are passable by morning "rush hours". The City is divided into seven routes. Major collector streets are plowed first. Other streets are plowed in an order determined by the driver for the quicl(est and most practical way to open all roads. Cul-de-sacs and short, dead-end streets are divided into five routes and are plowed with different plows, adding speed and efficiency to the operation. Ice control consists of distributing a salt or salt/sand mixture when and where the Police and Public Works departments deem necessary. The City sands all main intersections, dangerous curves, and steep grades as needed to control traffic. Because temperature determines the effectiveness of a salt/ sand mixture, sanding will not be done on extremely cold days except in emergency situations. Some of the main intersections along State and County roads are sanded as they are plowed. Others are sanded after all roads are cleared of snow, because the sand is needed for weight on the trucks. During ice storms when no plowing is occurring, intersections along the State and County roads are sanded first and all others are sanded immediately thereafter. BOULEVARD STAKING POLICY City of Ramsey policy prohibits the use of metal fence posts and other non-breakaway materials in the public right of way. City staff will remove materials that pose a threat to public safety or interfere with maintenance operations. Wooden lath are available in limited quantities at City Hall for use in marl(ing the boulevard for snow removal purposes. Small fiberglass poles and aluminum poles with reflectors may also be used, but will be the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. The purpose of the policy is to remove staking from the public right of way that causes an unnecessary threat to public safety and which hinders snow removal operations. Warning! Dates in calendars are closer than they appear.