The Town of Thomaston does NOT maintain a bare pavement policy during snowstorms. It will as practicable, have roads wet and bare, within 24 hrs. after the finish of the storm. Upon initial frozen precipitation, abrasives (2-part rock salt with 7-parts sand) will be applied to the roads. Roads will generally not be plowed if there is less than two (2”) inches of frozen precipitation accumulated on the roadway.

Several applications of abrasives may be necessary. During long-duration storms, the Highway Department may have reduced services from 11:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. to allow snow plow operators rest breaks.

Town roads will be plowed and sanded in the following order of importance;

1. Emergency locations (Fire, Ambulance, Accident locations)
Note: These locations will be dispatched from headquarters via radio and not by the public calling the Highway Garage or Police Department and requesting a plow truck on their street.

2. School Bus Routes (Type I Roads)
3. Through Roads (Type II Roads)
4. Cul-de-sacs/Other Sites (Type III Roads)

The Highway Department is NOT responsible for snow removal at any of the Schools this is done by private contractor.

If any property is damaged (i.e. mailboxes, fencing) by DIRECT contact with snow removal equipment and NOT snow cascading off of the plow. The public can call the Highway garage during normal working hours (7 a.m.-3 p.m.) and lodge a complaint. A supervisor will investigate the complaint, and the decision to take corrective actions will be made.

The following is a list of applicable ordinances concerning snow removal.

APPLICABLE ORDINANCES

TRAFFIC CONTROL- WINTER PARKING BAN

Section 1. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 7-148-(c) (7), 14-251 and Chapter 249 of the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut, as amended, the Town of Thomaston hereby adopts a winter parking ban.

Section 2. For purposes of this Ordinance, the terms “highway”, “motor vehicle”, “operator”’ “parking”’ “traffic control sign” shall have the same definitions as set forth in Chapter 249 of the General Statutes, as amended.

Section 3. No owner or operator of any motor vehicle shall park said vehicle on any highway in the Town of Thomaston during any snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain, or hail storm and within a period of twenty four (24) hours thereafter.

Section 4. Where reasonably practical, the Police Department shall ATTEMPT TO notify the owner or operator of any motor vehicle in violation of Section 3 to remove the motor vehicle immediately. If the motor vehicle is not moved in a reasonable time, the Police Department is authorized to remove, or have removed by a commercial towing service, any motor vehicle parked in violation of Section 3 to a local garage or place of safety. Such removal shall be at the risk and expense of the owner or operator of the vehicle. Motor vehicles so removed shall be stored in a safe place and shall be restored to the owner or operator upon payment of a reasonable fee for said storage and towing.

Section 5. It is hereby further provided that the Police Department is further authorized to issue a parking ticket for failure to remove any motor vehicle, which is parked in violation of Section 3 of this ordinance. Said parking ticket shall be attached to the subject vehicle, shall direct to the owner or operator to appear or mail to the Police Department within seventy-two (72) hours, the sum of TWENTY FIVE ( $25.00). Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.

Section 6. The provisions of this Ordinance shall not apply to any motor vehicle, which is ordered to be held stationary by the order of the Police Department.
Section 7. The Traffic Authority of the Town of Thomaston shall have the authority to post traffic control signs designating various highways as snow emergency routes or no parking areas during winter storms, and to adopt regulations to carry out the purpose of this Ordinance.

SIDEWALKS

Section 1. The provisions of Public Act No. 81-340 of the Connecticut General Statutes are hereby adopted, and set forth in sections 2 and 3 of hereof.

Section 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 13a-149 of the general statutes or special act, the Town of Thomaston shall not be liable to any person injured in person or property caused by the presence of ice or snow on a public sidewalk unless the Town of Thomaston is the owner or person in possession and control of land abutting such sidewalk, other than land used as a highway or street, provided the Town of Thomaston shall be liable for its affirmative acts with respect to such sidewalk.

Section 3. (a) The owner or person in possession and control of land abutting a public sidewalk shall have the same duty of care with respect to the presence of ice or snow on such sidewalk toward the portion of the sidewalk abutting his property as the municipality had prior to the effective date of this Ordinance adopted pursuant to the provisions of Public Act No. 81-340 and shall be liable to the persons injured in person or property where a breach of said duty is the proximate cause of said injury.

(b) No action to recover damages for injury to the person or to property caused by the presence of ice or snow on a public sidewalk against a person who owns or is in possession and control of land abutting a public sidewalk shall be brought but within two years from the dates when the injury is first sustained.

PRIVATE SNOW REMOVAL

Section 1. Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 7-148 (c) (6), (7) and 7-163a of the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut, as amended, the Town of Thomaston hereby adopts the following ordinance regulating private snow removal.

Section 2. For purposes of this ordinance, the terms “highway” and “street” shall have the same definition as set forth in Section 13a-1 of the General Statutes, as amended. The term “sidewalk” shall mean the paved area adjacent to the highway or street intended for pedestrian use.

Section 3. No person shall throw or put, or cause to be thrown or put, any snow or ice from a private premises, into the highway, street or sidewalk in the Town of Thomaston, in such a manner as to cause inconvenience or hazard to public travel. No person shall cause or plow snow from a private premise across any highway, street or sidewalk to the opposite side of any highway or street.

Section 4. The Police Department shall be responsible for the enforcement of this ordinance. Any person who shall violate this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of committing an infraction, and shall be fined FIFTY DOLLARS ($50.00) FOR EACH VIOLATION.