Snow clearing

[billski]

Driving on Route 3 in Mass today, I came upon a snow clearing operation at the junction of 3 and 495. There were three very large front loaders filling 20 full size dump trucks, which were taking it 10 miles south and dumping it in a huge field where the Route 3 freeway ends at Route 95/128. The pile is simply huge, perhaps as big as your typical three-story suburban office building.

 

[ctenidae]

That could make for interesting skiing

 

[billski]

I took a look at it tonight. It looks more like 2-story iceburgs. They are sheer cliffs of snow. Don't know how they did that. Skiing or sledding for that matter would be lethal.

Which brings me to ask, what are roads like by you? In our mighty metro Boston area, inside the 128-95 belt, things are pretty tight, speaking of road-ways matters. Yesterday they brought this huge snowblower, one of the largest I've seen since the blizzard of 78, with augers and a mutha blower. they used it to widen our streets by cutting into the 4-5 foot plow piles and blowing it into yards a good 10-15 feet. I'll bet we find some interesting things in our yard next spring.

Second, the backroads are usually my sneaky way through the towns to avoid traffic. Problem is, the roads are so narrow and winding, that we have no choice but to go slow. I'm sticking to the highways if I have to go any distance.

Lastly, with all this snow buildup, with no thaw-freeze-thaw cycle the urban areas could expereince some pretty nasty flooding in the spring. I'm gonna have to watch that sump pump carefully.

What's going on in your neighborhood?

 

[drjeff]

The street I live on, which is a dead end street that involves a steep climb up about 150 vertical feet followed by a winding downhill of about 250 feet over the next 1/2 mile or so is usally a full 3 car widths wide from beginning to end. We're down to maybe a car and a half on a semi blind curve

Totally agree with Billski about the need for a slow, semi controlled melt out this spring. A big 50 degree, multi day/multi liquid inch Nor'easter would have some catastrophic effects on the snowpack in Souhtern New England this year

 

[ctenidae]

The neighborhood roads in South Norwalk are getting narrower and narrower- tonight's snow plus the potential for tidal flooding could make it really intresting getting off the island tomorrow (neighborhood is an island with a causeway that was built in the 60's). Everywhere there are spots where the snow piles have started to pinch off the road, all the way from the house through the back roads to 95.

Haven't been in Boston in a few weeks, but I bet it's starting to get full.

 

[Glenn]

Our town roads are pretty narrow. They usually plow right to the curb...but after the big dump, they left a good 3' unplowed. If it wasn't for the snowblower, we wouldn't be getting mail. Parkinglot at work is getting tight. When everyone is here, there arean't many open spots.

In VT, our road is actually pretty good. It's about as wide as it usually is. And as Jeff and Vince can say...that isn't all that wide as you get close to our place. :lol: Our small driveway has a lot of snow banks. The plow guys is running out of spots to put the stuff. A good problem to have IMHO.

 

[bvibert]

Parkinglot at work is getting tight. When everyone is here, there arean't many open spots.

Hmmm... I guess there is an upside to years of layoffs... There's plenty of parking in our lot, even with the encroaching snow banks....

 

[Glenn]

Roads weren't too well plowed today. I think the snow came down so fast, they couldn't keep up. It's days like these I'm happy to have the extra ground clearance the Jeep provides.

 

[WJenness]

Downtown Lowell did a good job of carting a lot of the snow piled up in snowbanks out of the city with dumptrucks over the past week or so...

Woburn has been a little more lax, and we're missing about 10' of the road outside the office as it's been buried under snow for weeks.

This morning, trying to take the right onto the street my office was on was quite interesting as there was a LOT of snow piled up in the street right where the stop line is (it looked like it got pushed there by the plows cleaning the main road, and never got touched). I powered through (Thanks Quattro), but I heard a few of my co-workers got stuck in it.

-w

 

[wa-loaf]

Roads weren't too well plowed today. I think the snow came down so fast, they couldn't keep up. It's days like these I'm happy to have the extra ground clearance the Jeep provides.

No prob getting around in my Outback.

 

[WJenness]

No prob getting around in my Outback.

A4 as well.

-w

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

Quattro was fantastic again this morning....wonder how much better it'd be if it has snows on it....

 

[billski]

Quattro was fantastic again this morning....wonder how much better it'd be if it has snows on it....

It would be 10x better with snows, assuming you know how to drive in snow, which I do assume so. I've run mine both ways. I just chunk my way through the deep stuff and loose powder with no problem, including a 35% 1/2 mile grade. Unfortunately, the two other cars, a minivan and a small sedan have snows on them too. They perform similarly.

Simply put I get more traction out of snows than out of AWD. AWD gets me going from scratch better. or in the case when one axle is buried, which is almost never.

 

[hammer]

Volvo did fine today as well...but I waited for the roads to clear. ;-)

Actually, it also did fine going up a snow-covered driveway a few weeks ago. I'm sure it would do quite well if we put winter tires on it.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

my audi is sport suspension so i lose some clearance,,,,the conti xtremes all seasons are a great in the snow even at 17"