WESTPORT — The run-up to Christmas this year looks wet and windy, but not white, according to the latest forecasts.

Nonetheless, the town’s Department of Public Works has issued a few rules of the snow-covered road, which drivers and property owners are advised to follow whenever the white stuff may fall.

Plowing priorities

Westport’s streets are plowed and sanded in order of priority.

The main, or “collector,” roads are addressed first with special attention to steep hills and difficult intersections, according to the DPW.

Side streets are done next, then dead-end streets. 

A single pass will be made on side streets to keep them open, but primary attention is given main roads until a storm stops. 

This may not seem fair to residents of side streets or dead-end streets, officials say, but main roads must remain open.

Driveway fallout

Since all snowplows angle the same way — to the driver’s right — trucks clearing streets unavoidably push snow into driveway entrances.

DPW officials say the only way to avoid extra driveway shoveling is to wait until crews complete their final cleanup along a street.

Private plowing protocol

Private plow contractors are prohibited from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto town streets.

However, if there is no alternative to pushing snow into a roadway, officials say, the contractor must minimize the windrow left across the street by re-plowing until the road is safe. 

Mailbox damage, hit or miss

The town will repair or replace only those mailboxes and/or posts struck directly by a truck’s plow blade. 

However, the town does not repair or replace mailboxes and/or posts damaged by the force of plowed snow, officials say.

Steer clear of plow trucks

Plow trucks weigh several tons and have blind spots that impede monitoring other vehicles.

Drivers should not follow a plow truck too closely or attempt to pass one, the DPW says. They should are stay several car lengths behind plow trucks.

The trucks also are unable to maneuver easily or stop quickly and, by necessity, drive slowly when clearing and treating roads.

Driving at reduced speed allows salt to stay in travel lanes, limiting the amount that scatters off the roadway. This saves taxpayer money and minimizes the harmful environmental impact.

Plowing also can create a cloud of snow around a plow truck, causing limited visibility and whiteout conditions for passing motorists. It also creates a ridge of snow between lanes that makes passing inadvisable.

For details on the town’s snowplowing policies, click here.

For additional information or questions, call the Department of Public Works at 203-341-1120.