Snow Removal and Ice Control
Snow removal and ice control are among the most important and challenging services provided by the Bay County Road Commission. Every winter storm is different, and changing temperatures, wind, precipitation, traffic, and pavement conditions all affect how roads must be treated.
Our goal is to provide safe and passable roads for the traveling public as quickly and efficiently as conditions allow.
Winter Maintenance Operations
Winter maintenance includes plowing snow and applying deicing materials to road surfaces. The Bay County Road Commission carefully monitors weather forecasts and roadway conditions to determine when and where crews and equipment are needed.
During the winter months, BCRC maintains a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week road patrol to monitor weather and road conditions. This allows crews to respond quickly when changing conditions require additional treatment or snow removal.
Snowplowing Priorities
Roads are generally plowed and treated in the following order:
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State trunklines: I-75, U.S. 10, M-13, M-15, M-25, M-138, and M-247
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County primary roads: Major routes such as Midland, Wheeler, Beaver, Mackinaw, Seven Mile, and Wilder roads
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Local roads and subdivisions
Crews may return to higher-priority routes several times during a continuing storm before moving to lower-priority roads. Snowfall intensity, drifting, emergencies, equipment availability, and changing road conditions may also affect the order and timing of service.
Residents are asked to remain patient and allow additional travel time during winter weather. Please give snowplows plenty of room to operate and remember that a road may still be slippery even after it has been plowed or treated.
Information adapted in part from winter maintenance materials provided by the County Road Association of Michigan.
How Road Salt Works
Sodium chloride, commonly known as rock salt, is the most widely used and cost-effective deicing material available. Salt must dissolve and form a liquid brine before it can begin melting snow and ice.
Once brine forms, it lowers the freezing point of water and works its way through the snow or ice to the pavement. This helps break the bond between the frozen material and the road surface, allowing plows to remove it more effectively.
Sunlight, rising daytime temperatures, and traffic can help the melting process. Salt works most effectively when pavement temperatures are above approximately 20 degrees Fahrenheit. At lower temperatures, calcium chloride or other treatment methods may be used to improve effectiveness.
When Salt Is Applied
Salting operations generally begin when snow starts to adhere to or accumulate on the pavement, or when roads become slippery. Deicing materials are normally applied near the crown or centerline of the roadway so the resulting brine can move toward the outside edges.
Applying salt in a narrow strip helps the brine form more quickly and reduces the amount of material that bounces onto the shoulder or off the roadway. Salt trucks generally operate at speeds of 35 mph or less while spreading material.
Drivers should use additional caution near snowplows and salt trucks and avoid passing them whenever possible. Hills, curves, bridges, overpasses, and intersections may become slippery before other portions of the roadway.
Weather and Road Conditions
Weather conditions have a major influence on snow removal and salt application. Crews consider several factors before selecting the appropriate treatment, including:
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Current and predicted weather
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Pavement and air temperatures
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Wind direction and speed
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Type and rate of precipitation
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Traffic volume
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Blowing and drifting snow
High winds can affect both the distribution of salt and the movement of brine across the road. In some situations, applying salt while snow is blowing heavily across the roadway may make conditions worse. Crews continually evaluate conditions and adjust their response throughout each storm.