ADA COUNTY — As the winter season approaches, the Ada County Highway District is kicking off preparation efforts to ensure safe and efficient snow and ice management throughout the county.
This year, ACHD has welcomed several new team members to its operations team. Comprehensive training programs kicked off last week to equip these employees with the necessary skills and knowledge for effective snow removal and road maintenance, no matter what mother nature has in mind. The hands-on training includes equipment operation, safety protocols, and effective communication strategies to ensure coordination during winter weather events.
In addition to training new employees, all operators are revisiting and familiarizing themselves with key routes. “Understanding the specific challenges and nuances of each route is crucial for our team,” said Deputy Director of Operations, Tom Otte. “By ensuring that our operators are very familiar with the areas they will cover this winter, we can enhance our response time and improve overall service during winter storms.”
ACHD’s winter operations are guided by the District’s priority levels which focus first on major thoroughfares such as arterials, collectors, major intersections, overpasses, and bridges as well as emergency routes, railroad crossings, and school crossings. In priority one, the district also focuses on streets with grades over six percent. Once priority one is complete, ACHD will assess the situation and determine if teams will move into priorities two and three. If the second and third priorities are determined necessary, the crews will focus on school bus routes, followed by residential streets.
This winter, crews will take on the snow and ice with 73 units, 50 of them mounted with snowplows. 176 team members will help manage winter operations, with contractors on-call for major winter events.
“Every winter brings its own challenges, and our team has been diligently preparing for a variety of weather scenarios,” said ACHD Maintenance Manager, Lloyd Carnegie. “We are committed to being available around the clock to ensure that our roads remain safe and accessible for all travelers this season.”
Community members are encouraged to stay informed about winter road conditions and ACHD’s snow removal efforts through the district’s website and social media channels.
Residents can also begin winter preparations by servicing and preparing their vehicles and learning more about no-fee snow removal permits and homeowner responsibilities.
For more information about ACHD’s winter operations, please visit achdidaho.org/winter or follow ACHD on social media at @achdidaho.
ACHD is committed to maintaining the highest standards of public safety during inclement weather.
