Title: Stepping Stones to Year-Round Bicycling and Walking: Tackling Winter Maintenance Track: Connect Format: 90 minute moderated discussion Abstract: This panel will explore the challenges of providing good pedestrian and bicycle access year-round in cold climate cities. The panel will address current best practices, agency perspectives on winter maintenance, and tough questions about who should be responsible for maintaining sidewalks and bikeways and to what level of service. Presenters: Presenter: Ciara Schlichting, AICP Toole Design Group Co-Presenter: Becka Roolf Salt Lake City Transportation Division Co-Presenter: Steve Sanders University of Minnesota

1. •Minneapolis Campus 360 acres
•St. Paul campus 540 acres
•265 buildings
•46 miles of sidewalk and plaza
•16 miles of streets
•Stairs, many stairs
University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance

2. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
Seasonal snowfall avg. - 54 inches 2013/2014 – 70 inches At least 1 inch of snow on ground from 12/4/13 – 4/4/14

3. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
53 days below zero
Coldest day -23F

4. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance

5. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
•Trace of snow – sidewalks mechanically broomed & stairs swept/shoveled
•1” of snow – tops of parking ramps plowed
•2” of snow – parking lots plowed
•3” of snow – streets plowed
Snow Removal Guidelines

6. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
Snow Removal Personnel
•25 FT Landcare employees
•50 student employees
•50 custodial staff
•30 snow-removal vendor staff
•10 Parking staff

7. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
Snow Removal Equipment
•6 skid steers
•2 Toolcats
•6 Polar Cats
•2 Walk-behind
Contractor
Mechanical Brooms
•30 – 35 pickups with plows
Blade-equipped
Shovels, lots and lots of shovels
•Front-end loaders, dump trucks, road graders

8. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
What happens when this happens?

9. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
•If snow is forecast and temperature is in the range of 15F to 32F, streets and sidewalks pre-treated with 23% salt brine solution
•Pre-treatment helps prevent snow/ice from bonding to pavement
•If temperatures below 15F, calcium chloride w/beet solution used. Beet solution reduces corrosiveness
•Solutions spread using vehicles with 2,500 gallon tanks

10. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance

11. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
Excessive use of snow-melt chemicals

12. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
All hands on deck at 3:00 a.m. for forecast snow of 3 + inches

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14. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance

15. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance

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Where does all the snow go?

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As a practical matter, what does it all mean?

18. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
•University estimates 80,000 visitors a day – 3rd largest trip generator in state
•Even in the depths of winter 1,000 + bikes a day on campus
•Tunnel and skyway system takes many people indoors, but usually results in longer trip time

19. University of Minnesota Winter Maintenance
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September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
February 2014
909
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191
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146
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Steve Sanders - Alternative Transportation Manager
http://www1.umn.edu/pts/bike/bikeRFID.html
sande017@umn.edu – 612-625-1333