Now that winter is upon us, it is important for people to know how to stay safe on the roads. Local municipalities maintain most of the roads after and sometimes during snowfall. In an interview with the Advertiser, Mark Harris, the public works director for Manor Township, addressed the topic of snow removal.

Advertiser: How many miles of roads does the township have?

Harris: 112 miles.

Advertiser: How do you determine the order and priority of plowing roads?

Harris: Priority is based on average daily trips. Roads that have the highest traffic counts are treated first.

Advertiser: What happens if a car is blocking the snowplow?

Harris: The operator goes around the parked vehicle. It is much better if all vehicles are removed from the street before snowfall begins.

Advertiser: What can residents do to keep their property safe during a snowstorm?

Harris: Keep vehicles off the street. If the neighborhood does not have curb along the street, lawn markers are very beneficial to judge where the edge of the road meets the lawn. Manor's policy: If a yard is damaged by a snowplow, and the edge of the lawn is not marked, we will not repair the sod.

Advertiser: Why do plows often make only a single pass in developments, rather than clearing both sides of the street?

Harris: Manor is committed to plowing curb-to-curb. We do this for a number of reasons. First, melting snow and ice needs to leave the road surface. By plowing curb to curb, storm water drains are open to receive the melted snow. This will keep the water from refreezing on the street overnight. Plows will make one pass during the thrust of the storm so that the roads remain open. At the end of each storm, the curb-to-curb plowing starts.

Advertiser: Do you know about how much salt on average you lay down on the roads in a winter season?

Harris: This varies from each year, and each storm. Back-to-back two-inch storms when the temperature does not reach 27 (degrees Fahrenheit) will use more salt than one that is 12 inches and 30 degrees. I budget 1,200 tons each year. Some years we use very little and others very close to the budgeted amount.

Advertiser: What would you say is the most valuable advice you could give township residents when it comes to staying safe on the roads during a snowstorm?

Harris: Keep a safe distance when following a snowplow. If you cannot see the truck's mirrors, the driver cannot see you. Stay off the roads until they have been treated. Remember, just because you have an all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle, that will not help you when you start to slide on ice. We have seen a lot of four-wheel drive vehicles that go off the road because they were driving too fast because they felt the four-wheel drive will allow them to go at any speed.

Advertiser: Do you have any tips or rules for keeping sidewalks clear?

Harris: Do not shovel your walks or driveway until the final plowing occurs. Also, it is a violation to throw snow onto the street.

Advertiser: Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Harris: I have designed 15 snowplow routes for our township. It takes a lot of time to provide clean and safe streets. Please have patience with snowplow operators. They spend many hours in tough conditions trying to make everyone safe.

The Manor Township Municipal Building is located at 950 W. Fairway Drive, Lancaster. For more information, call 717-397-4769 or visit http://manortownship.net.