Antelope County shares snow removal policies

The Antelope County road department is responsible for providing snow removal for approximately 1,300 miles of gravel and asphalt county roads. The road department attempts to maintain adequate traction for vehicles properly equipped for winter driving conditions. Planning for a winter storm is difficult. Differences in rate of snowfall, moisture content, temperature, time of day and wind velocity make each storm unique. However, it is the intent of this program to establish general policies and procedures to make travel within the county as safe as possible. Safety is the primary concern and all persons involved with this plan will consider safety first in operating procedures.

Plowing, when deemed necessary by the road superintendent, with input from county commissioners, will begin on all priority one - emergency and school bus routes and priority two - mail routes, occupied residences and rural businesses - county roads, with priority one roads being opened first, then priority two roads, followed by some priority three - no occupied residences - roads. After all roads are opened satisfactorily to allow vehicles in and out access to all occupied residences, additional road widening may be done.

State Statute 60-6140 states the driver of any motor vehicle, when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residential district, shall not follow any highway maintenance vehicle more closely than 100 feet if such vehicle is engaged in plowing snow or performing other highway maintenance duties. Operating a snowplow can be a dangerous task. When ice, snow, wind and cold create treacherous operating conditions, such as limited visibility, snowplow operators require tremendous operating skill and courage to operate.

If an Antelope County employee, while they are plowing snow, comes upon an abandoned vehicle blocking a county road and it must be moved, the sheriff's office will attempt to contact the owner. If the owner cannot be located and the vehicle must be removed, steps will be taken to move the vehicle.

Antelope County or employees of Antelope County cannot be held liable for damages caused by removing an abandoned vehicle. Occupied vehicles will only be removed from a snowdrift by the county employee when the owner is present and able to attach a tow rope to the personal vehicle.

The road superintendent, in conjunction with the sheriff's office, is authorized to announce publicly that non-emergency travel is not recommended when conditions warrant such a warning. This public notice is not, nor is it intended to encompass all details of Antelope County's snow removal operations.

The cleaning of adjacent driveways to county roads is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner. When plowing snow, several passes are sometimes necessary before a county road is clear. Every effort is made to prevent plowing into driveways; however, the roads department will not clean driveways adjacent to county roads. Cleaning driveways, that are plowed closed by the roads department, is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner. It is generally best for the adjacent property owner to open driveways after the snowplows have completed their operations.

For information, messages to the Antelope County road and bridge department may be left at 402-887-8000.