Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is snow removal prioritized along the County maintained road system?

Snow removal response along the County maintained road system is dependent on the magnitude of the storm. Other areas of the County may have suffered storm damage simultaneously that does not require snow removal but is a higher priority for the allocation of Roads Division resources including staff and equipment. 

Providing access to critical facilities in coordination with the Office of Emergency Services is the highest priority regardless of road classification. Generally, roadways are then prioritized based on a combination of road classification (California Road System (CRS) Function Classification) and average daily traffic volume. 

In a textbook situation, roadways would be prioritized in the following descending order: minor arterials, major collectors, minor collectors, and lastly local roadways. When average daily traffic volumes are factored in major collectors in the Crescent City area (such as Elk Valley Road or Northcrest Drive) are likely to be prioritized over major collectors (such as South Fork Road or Ocean View Drive) since major collectors in the Crescent City area serve a greater average daily traffic volume. 

Ultimately, deployment of Roads Division staff is at the direction of the Roads Superintendent and during larger storm events may be prioritized in coordination with the Road Commissioner (Community Development Department Director) and Office of Emergency Services Director (County Administrative Officer). 

Additional frequently asked questions may be found on the Engineering and Surveying Division's Frequently Asked Questions webpage.