Street Maintenance

Town of Maggie Valley

Purpose:  

The goal and intent of the Town of Maggie Valley Public Works Department is to maintain a safe road network by providing an efficient and effective snow and ice removal program. The weather in Western North Carolina is unpredictable, and the unique nature of each storm event may dictate variations to this policy. The purpose of this information is to outline the general snow removal procedures of the town in addition to providing suggestions to how you, as a resident of Town of Maggie Valley, can help the Public Works Department in this effort. It is our hope that the town’s efforts, along with the cooperation and assistance of an informed public, will result in a safe winter season with minimal disruptions to ongoing daily activities.

Snow & Ice Control Plan

Town Streets:

The Town of Maggie Valley maintains approximately 6.82 miles of residential streets. These streets are built to the highest possible construction standards and meet the North Carolina Department of Transportation Powell Bill Street Standards. These streets automatically receive snow plowing and deicing material from the Public Works Department. The following streets are part of the Town Maintained Street System:

Private Streets:

In addition to providing snow plowing and deicing material to Town Maintained Streets the Town of Maggie Valley also provides this service to some private streets located throughout the corporate limits. These roads are built to high standards and have some elements that Town Maintained Streets possess making them eligible for this service. Elements that private streets must possess before the Town will consider providing this service include:

• Road grades that do not exceed 18%
• Paved streets that are a minimum of 16 feet wide
• Paved One Way looping streets that are minimum of 12 feet wide
• Streets that terminate in a cul-de-sac or T/Y Turn
• Streets that possess more than four dwelling units

Home/property owners associations that would like to receive snow plowing and deicing services from the Town must submit a complete request application by May 1. This annual application will be reviewed based upon the conditions that exist each year on your particular street by the Town Manager and Public Works Director. You will be notified of your street’s acceptance into the service program by the Town Manager by July 1.Requests submitted for private driveways, parking lots and individual residences will not be considered. The following private streets have been accepted into the snow and ice removal service for winter 2022-2023:

The Town has sole and total discretion to plow private streets, with no duties, obligations or responsibilities. The Town may provide snow and ice removal services to additional streets not listed on the chart above with written property owner consent.

State Roads:

Roads identified as “State” Roads, will receive snow and ice removal services from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). In addition to the level of service NCDOT provides the Town of Maggie Valley Public Works Department will perform additional snow plowing to the following roads when time and materials allow because of their relationship to Town’s Corporate Limits and Town Maintained Streets:

If you live on a state road that is not listed above please contact NCDOT at 828/456-0336 for more detailed information about their snow and ice removal policy on your road.

 Snow Plowing & Deicing Procedures:

Upcoming storm events are monitored and tracked using available data from the news media and internet resources. The Police Department also keeps the Public Works Department informed of road conditions and notifies the Public Works Director when action is needed.  Snow removal from streets will begin when there is a minimum of one inch of surface snow with the probability of continued accumulation. Spreading of chat and/and or salt will commence immediately upon evidence of snow or ice on road surfaces that does not show evidence of imminent melting.

Material Handling & Application:

The Town uses both abrasives (chat) and salt. The best use of these materials is subject to many variables such as traffic, temperature, sunshine, stored heat in the pavement and adequate forecasting of weather conditions and changes. How satisfactorily and economically results are achieved depends on the staff’s skill on tailoring operations and concerns to these varied conditions.

Chat is cheap to buy, offers immediate traction on slippery surfaces and offers visible evidence of action by town crews (an important psychological advantage to the driver and to the town’s public relations program). Significant disadvantages are low miles of coverage per truck load (thus requiring much reloading and dead hauling of empty trucks), dirty, hard on car windshields and finishes and generation of an appreciable cleanup job following the storm’s end. The use of salt can damage nearby salt sensitive vegetation and infiltrate ground water. When applied as dry rock salt, it stays in place on loose slush but segregates, bounces off and slides wide on ice. Salt is dormant when applied and slow to embed at temperatures of 20 F or less. Therefore traffic may cause considerable loss. The use of abrasives and salt as a snow and ice control procedure is to be minimized to conserve the environment and control costs.

 Road Rights of Way:

Please make every effort not to park vehicles on the road or along the road right of way when snow or ice is anticipated. Parked cars make the snow removal efforts very difficult and in some instances may prevent your street from being scraped.

Trash Pickup:

If you are on curbside trash pickup, please do not place your trash receptacle right on the road over night if a snow storm is anticipated. The Town’s subcontracted trash hauler will make every effort to pick up your trash in the event of a storm. However, if road conditions are dangerous or the snow/ice makes it impossible for the trucks to do their routes, Consolidated Waste Services may decide to pull their trucks off the roads. In that event, your trash will be picked up as soon a majority of Town Streets are deemed passable. You can check the status of trash pickup by calling the Town Hall at 828/926-0866 or on the Town’s various digital platforms.

 Driveway Clearing:

Homeowners are responsible for clearing their own driveways. To avoid extra shoveling, wait until the road has been plowed to the curb before removing the snow at the entrance of your driveway.  When removing snow from your driveway, place the snow on the right side of the driveway (facing the road). This will prevent the added snow from being plowed back into your driveway during the Town’s plowing operation. Do not snow blow, plow or shovel snow into the roadway when clearing your driveway.

Fire Hydrant Clearing:

Any effort to aid the Fire Department with keeping a hydrant in front of your house cleared of snow is appreciated. Clearing around the hydrant with a path to the road helps protect the safety of you and your neighbors.