STEP Into Spring with Safety
Safety doesn’t happen by accident – it starts with informed decisions!
That’s why Glenco launched STEP – our Safe Traffic Education Plan. STEP is focused on helping communities better understand traffic safety challenges and how to prepare for them throughout the year. We strive to ensure that everyone in the traffic safety world is taking proactive and strategic STEPs toward safer streets. As spring arrives, we are taking STEPS to assess roadways in the aftermath of winter.
Winter Damage to Roadways
With spring upon us, roadways are showing the wear and tear that winter left behind. This past winter brought more snow, ice, and colder temperatures than in recent years, and a severe winter means a busy spring for municipalities. The fallout from ice, snow, melting runoff, accumulated debris, and salt require significant cleanup and surface repair. Roadway surfaces are riddled with potholes and cracks caused by the freeze-thaw cycle in which water seeps into crevices, freezes, expands, and cracks the surface, creating potholes and damaging the pavement. Extreme cold temperatures can cause asphalt to constrict, which also causes cracking and surface degradation. Friction from metal plow blades can also damage both roadway surfaces and manhole covers.
Winter Damage to Signs
Traffic signs often suffer major damage during the winter. Sign damage is usually done by the snowplow operations.The priority is to remove snow and ice from the roadway, and when the snow is flying off the plow at 30 mph, it can damage the sign face, and knock the sign posts over.
So, municipalities have their work cut out for them this spring. But Glenco is here to help STEP into spring safely right now, and we can also help you take STEPs to plan strategically for next year.
Here is our STEP by STEP Guide to Restoring your Streets to Safety this Spring:
STEP 1:
Assess the damage. What do the roads look like? Where are the most significant hazards? Prioritize the major issues; if a road is littered with potholes, the priority is to fill them and make the roadway safe for all travellers.
STEP 2:
Clean the surfaces. Roadways must be cleared of debris before repairs and summer repaving can occur. Glenco supplies brooms for every type of sweeper in the industry—all mechanical, road construction and attachment sweepers are available and ready to ship.
In addition to the ongoing safety concerns of debris pileups that obstruct surfaces, pavements must be cleared ahead of spring maintenance. Leaves, twigs, pebbles, salt, and other matter must be removed to prepare the roadway surfaces for repairs. To learn more about our full line of brooms, check out our blog.
STEP 3:
Repair and repave. With the inevitable potholes, cracks, and manhole cover damage, road crews will be tasked with patching and repairing surfaces to ensure safe travel. Glenco supplies a full range of pavement maintenance and repair products including Green Patch, Aquaphalt, and manhole protection rings. Learn more about our pavement maintenance product lines here.
STEP 4:
Mind the Markings. Along with surface damage, pavement markings can be impacted with winter weather. The freeze-thaw cycle, friction, abrasion, and water runoff can cause cracking, fading, and peeling of paint. This diminishes visibility on things like crosswalks, lane markings, school zones, and arrows, which negatively impacts pedestrian and vehicular safety. Glenco offers a full range of pavement markings for all specifications and applications.
STEP 5:
Fix the Signs. When signs are down, traffic flow becomes hazardous. Repair and replacement are urgent, and Glenco can help. Our sign shop can deliver within two weeks of order, and because we own and operate our equipment, we can expedite in emergency situations. Learn more about our sign shop here. Glenco also offers a sign refacing program, which is a greener, more economical way to maintain signage for optimal visibility and safety while avoiding purchase of a whole new sign.
STEP 6:
Evaluate Snow Removal Equipment. After a severe winter, snow removal equipment must be maintained. We understand that municipal supply professionals are busy tending to steps 1-5, but the equipment needs attention and should not be neglected. It may be damaged, degraded, or simply aging out of its lifespan. Now is the time to make that determination in order to plan for next year. As the authorized dealer of PolarFlex Snow Plow Systems, Glenco has the expertise to help you plan for the future with the better, safer, more eco-friendly equipment. Learn more here.
STEP 7:
Plan and Prepare. We understand that the last thing anyone wants to think about right now is next winter. But now is the best time to assess the strengths and gaps in your response while the information is fresh in your minds. In order to plan and prepare strategically for the future, it is essential to determine what was a problem, what supply was inadequate (or excessive), and what your team could do better to serve the community and enhance safety. Glenco is here to help you evaluate your response this past year and plan for next year so that your municipality is safe, well prepared, and adequately supplied to meet the demands of winter.
STEP into spring, STEP into safety, STEP into strategic planning.
