According to the City of Marshall’s Website it is the Street Department Foreman and Municipal Services Director who decides when to begin Snow or Ice Control Operations during inclement weather periods. The general guidelines the city uses is as follows:

-Snow Accumulation of 2 Inches or More
– Drifting of Snow that Causes Problems for Travel
-Icy Conditions which Seriously Affects Travel
-Time of Snowfall in Relationship to Heavy Traffic Times

The city stated that any snow will be plowed in a manner so as to minimize any traffic obstructions. The center of the roadway will be plowed first. The discharge shall go onto the parkway of the street along the curb. In times of extreme snowfall, streets will not always immediately be able to be completely cleared of snow.

Designated Emergency Snow Routes will be plowed first.

The City has classified streets based on the street function, traffic volume, and importance to the welfare of the community. Those streets classified as “Emergency Snow Routes” will be plowed first. These are high volume routes, which connect major sections of the City and provide access for emergency services (fire, police, and medical services) and schools.

The Secondary Streets are those streets providing access to commercial businesses and connecting between emergency snow routes. The third priority streets are low volume residential streets. Plowing of the Square and adjoining streets in the area and City Parking Lots will be done at night as to have the least impact on area businesses and the limited parking around the Square.

The Street Department Foreman will determine when snow will be hauled away from the Square area by truck. Such snow hauling is necessary because there is no room on the square for snow storage. Snow hauling operations generally will not commence until other snowplowing of primary and secondary routes are complete. Snow hauling operations may also be delayed depending on weather conditions and personnel constraints. The snow will be hauled to a snow storage area. The snow storage area will be located so as to minimize environmental impact

The city also states that during a snow please find a place off the street to park your vehicle. This will help increase the efficiency in the snow plowing process as the equipment has to slow down to plow around parked vehicles.

The City will use sand, salt, and other chemicals when there are hazardous ice or slippery conditions. The City is concerned about the effect of such chemicals on the environment and will limit its use for that reason.