Departments
Snow Season Policy
Hamilton Township is pleased to announce we have upgraded our level of service during winter storm events. Township Road Crews will be begin plowing when snow accumulates or at the discretion of the Road Supervisor when ice or sleet is present. Crews will now plow and then use salt and Beet Heat to treat the main roads, intersections and hills. Afterwards, side streets and rural routes will be plowed and treated with salt until all roadways have been serviced.
The Township will use a priority ranking for the treatment of all Township roadways. The main roadways within the township are treated first, then crews will plow the main entrances into the subdivisions, and then the Township will address side streets within subdivisions and rural routes. Hamilton Township adopted a parking code (Chapter 4) in 2021 to include declaring a Snow Emergency. A Snow Emergency is hereby defined as the period of time during which two (2) or more inches of snow or ice has accumulated or is expected to accumulate, within the unincorporated area of Hamilton Township, such that the Township has determined road conditions within its unincorporated territory have become, or are likely to become, hazardous for vehicular travel. The administrator, or his designee in the Administrator’s absence, is authorized to declare a snow emergency within the Township’s unincorporated territory. This order will become effective two (2) hours after it has been announced to the local news media and will continue in full force and effect until the same is canceled by the Township upon announcement of such cancelation to the local news media. Parking of all vehicles shall be prohibited during a Snow Emergency in any right-of-way within the unincorporated territory of Hamilton Township on which traffic control devices compliant with R.C. 4511.09 are displayed.
If your street has not been plowed within 24 hours after the snow event has occurred, please use our report-a-problem@hamilton-township.org to let us know. This email line is monitored by Township Employees after normal business hours. You can help our road crews during snow events by parking cars in the driveway and off the street so the plows can make a wider sweep. Make sure when you plow your driveway you do not shovel the snow into the street as this can cause a hazardous condition on the roadway.
The purpose of Hamilton Township’s Snow Removal Policy is to provide the safest possible roadway system and access routes for the motoring public, public transit, public schools, fire, police, emergency aid vehicles, the citizens of Hamilton Township and the surrounding communities.
County roads are maintained by the Warren County Engineer’s Office and include: Zoar Road, Grandin Road, Foster-Maineville Road, Morrow-Cozaddale Road, Butterworth Road, Cozaddale Murdoch, Murdoch Goshen Road, Old 3C Highway. State roads are maintained by the Ohio Department of Transportation and include: US 22-3 and State Route 48.
This policy is intended to communicate Hamilton Township’s preliminary coordination efforts to reduce the threat to public safety from a snow and ice emergency. During inclement weather, the Hamilton Township Maintenance Department will make every effort to maintain the traffic flow as close to normal driving conditions as possible.
Organization of Staff
Hamilton Township employs an eight person road maintenance crew for handling snow and ice control on township roads. The road maintenance crew is a group of dedicated, full-time employees that work year round and who are individually required to maintain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
During normal business hours, the Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for evaluating the need for road treatment and during the winter storm event continues to monitor township roadways as snow conditions become more severe.
After normal hours of operation, initial calls are made by Warren County Communications Center to the Maintenance Supervisor. The Maintenance Supervisor is then called into work to evaluate the need for road treatment as well as to determine the manpower needed to treat the roads.
Organization of Equipment
Currently the Maintenance Department has one facility for Winter Storm fighting which is located in Testerman Park, on Maineville Road. This facility stores equipment and 1800 tons of salt under a shelter. This facility is also equipped with a front end loader and two mechanics.
The Hamilton Township Maintenance Department standards do not include a bare pavement policy and road treatment may be limited to curves, hills, and intersections. When winter snow events accumulate more than two inches on the roadways, crews will both plow and salt/grit mix only on primary roadways. The clearing of cul-de-sacs will be 2-3 swipes depending on the size of the cul-de-sac. Once the snow begins to melt, storm drains will be cleared for proper drainage. Snow removal and treatment operations will be conducted only on township maintained roadways generally in accordance with the following ratings.
Primary Roads
Primary Roads will be treated with Sodium Chloride (salt) and grit mix and plowed.
Primary Roads include: Adams Road, Baxter Road, Beeler Drive, Broadway, Caldwell Drive, Cones Road, Dallasburg Road, Elizabeth Street, Ford Road, Front Street, Fryberger, Hatt-Swank, Hill Station, Hopkins Road, Ireland Road, Kipp Lane, Lebanon Road, Luhring, Maineville Road, McIntire Road, Meredith Avenue, Mounts Road, Nunner Road, O’Hara Drive, Overbrook, Pleasant Renner, Saratoga, Schlottman Road, Shamrock, Sibcy Road, Snook Road, Stephens Road, Striker Road, Sunny Lane, Swigert Road, Sycamore Street, West Road, White Street and Winding Way.
Secondary Roads
Secondary Roads will be treated with a mix of Sodium Chloride (salt) and grits. The emphasis of the treatment will be on curves, hills, and intersections. Straight-aways will be treated with a mix of Sodium Chloride (salt) and grits, at a lesser level, and plowed.
When a snow and ice event continues, routes (depending on priority) are continually monitored by the Maintenance Department. Some Priority Roadways may require salting and plowing several times during a storm event before other township roads are addressed, depending on the severity of the event.
Snow Alert Levels
The Warren County Sheriff may declare a Snow Emergency for the preservation of the public peace. The Sheriff will consult with various other county officials such as the County Engineer, the EMA Director and township and city officials before declaring the emergency. Declaring a Snow Emergency is the highest of three levels of a Winter Driving Condition:
LEVEL 1
Roadways are hazardous, drive very cautiously.
LEVEL 2
Roadways are extremely hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roadways are also icy. Only those drivers who feel it is necessary to drive should be on the roadways. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work.
LEVEL 3
All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be out during these conditions unless is is absolutely necessary to travel. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on roadways may be subject to arrest.
During a Winter Storm Event
Do not allow children and pets to play on roadways or on the snow berms as this is very dangerous. Drivers may not see them or be able to stop in time to avoid hitting them. As snow is plowed from roadways, windrows (a line or row of snow) can be created at the end of driveways and are the property owner’s responsibility to clear. Do not shovel or put snow from driveways onto or across county roads as this is unlawful and creates a hazard for other drivers. If you are removing snow from your property and a county snow plow approaches, there is a strong possibility that you are not visible to the operator. Dark clothing, the hour of day and weather conditions inhibit visibility. Protect yourself from injury by giving the plow operator extra room to perform the task. If snow is predicted in the forecast, please be sure to not park on the street so the snow plow can completely clear the roadway. Please park in the your driveway.
On the Road
Don’t go out until the snow plows and salt mix trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions. Snow plows make frequent stops and backup maneuvers, do not drive your car up behind a snow plow as the driver may be unable to see you and inadvertently back into your car. If you are behind a plow that stops, stop your vehicle in such a way that your car looks into the driver’s outside rearview mirror, and please give them extra room. Drivers are also urged to give an oncoming snow truck right of way. During the winter months, the berm or shoulder of the road is often too soft to support the weight of a loaded salt truck. These drivers cannot move off of the road to let oncoming traffic pass on narrow roads. If you see a salt truck approaching on a narrow road please be courteous and pull off into the nearest driveway and let the snow truck pass.
Storm Damage
Although undesired, there is always a potential for damage to mailboxes and fences during the snow removal process. Damage will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Mailboxes and fences that are damaged by actual physical contact with Township equipment will be repaired at the Township’s expense, but only if they were properly located and installed. The mail box owner is responsible for repair or replacement of the mailbox if the mailbox was damaged by the pressure of the plowed snow and there was no physical contact with the plow equipment. Please call 513-683-8520 to report mailbox or fence damage resulting from contact with Township equipment.
Winter Storm Contacts
Questions regarding snow & ice concerns should be directed to the Hamilton Township Administration Building at 513-683-8520 during the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday. After hours and weekends, please call the Warren County Dispatch at 513-925-2525.