Snow Emergencies
County Snow Emergency
If travel on county roads becomes impractical or impossible due to winter weather, the County Commissioners may declare a "Snow Emergency" and issue a Travel Warning, which closes the county roads to public travel in the affected areas of the County.
Declared Emergencies
The declaration will apply only to roads owned and maintained by Hamilton County. The declaration will not apply to City/Town streets, State Roads, U.S. Highways or Interstate Highways. The media will be advised as soon as an emergency is declared.
By restricting travel on county roads, the need for rescue and towing is reduced, leaving more resources to work at clearing the roads with the least amount of delay. Every effort will be made to get the roads cleared and reopened as soon as possible.
Missed Work
It is not the policy of Hamilton County to provide employers with written excuses for their employees who miss work when a county snow emergency has been declared. However, Hamilton County can provide documentation of the times and extent of the snow emergency.
Weather Ordinances
The following Hamilton County Ordinances pertain to snow emergencies.
Hamilton County Ordinance 8-20-8-5 - Weather or Other Related Road Closures
Upon determination that travel on all or part of the roads in Hamilton County may cause a substantial risk to life and/or property, the County Commissioners may declare a local emergency, including a weather related emergency, and may issue an order to close all, or a portion of, county roads to public travel. During the declared emergency closure, the affected roads may or may not be signed for closure and/or barricaded. All roads ordered closed will remain closed until further declaration of the County Commissioners.
Upon order of the Commissioners to close all, or a portion of, county roads:
A person who violates this section shall be guilty of an infraction and may be fined up to $2,500.
Hamilton County Ordinance 8-20-8-6 - Obstructions on County Roadways & Rights of Way
A person shall not push, place, or deposit items, including but not limited to: snow, debris, construction materials or litter onto county right of way, other than materials within a public construction project limits, normal trash pickup, or such other material approved by the County Commissioners.
The driver of a vehicle that impedes or interferes with highway snow removal crews or other emergency personnel responding to an emergency may be directed to remove the vehicle from the county road. Upon direction by county or emergency personnel, the driver shall promptly remove the vehicle from the right of way, or be towed at the owner's expense.
Any vehicle parked in county right of way may be ordered towed at the owner's expense by a Deputy Sheriff or the County Highway Superintendent. The order to tow the vehicle may be delayed until there is an effort to notify the owner if the vehicle is visible to oncoming traffic and is not unreasonably restricting the use of the road by other vehicles. Hamilton County will not be held responsible for any resulting damage to the removed vehicle.
If a vehicle or other obstruction impedes the County's snow removal processes or obstructs the use of a County road by emergency vehicles, a Sheriff Deputy or the County Highway Superintendent may order removal of the obstruction by county vehicles or equipment. Hamilton County will not be liable for any resulting damage to the removed vehicle.
A person who violates this section shall be guilty of an infraction and may be fined up to $2,500.
If travel on county roads becomes impractical or impossible due to winter weather, the County Commissioners may declare a "Snow Emergency" and issue a Travel Warning, which closes the county roads to public travel in the affected areas of the County.
Declared Emergencies
The declaration will apply only to roads owned and maintained by Hamilton County. The declaration will not apply to City/Town streets, State Roads, U.S. Highways or Interstate Highways. The media will be advised as soon as an emergency is declared.
By restricting travel on county roads, the need for rescue and towing is reduced, leaving more resources to work at clearing the roads with the least amount of delay. Every effort will be made to get the roads cleared and reopened as soon as possible.
Missed Work
It is not the policy of Hamilton County to provide employers with written excuses for their employees who miss work when a county snow emergency has been declared. However, Hamilton County can provide documentation of the times and extent of the snow emergency.
Weather Ordinances
The following Hamilton County Ordinances pertain to snow emergencies.
Hamilton County Ordinance 8-20-8-5 - Weather or Other Related Road Closures
Upon determination that travel on all or part of the roads in Hamilton County may cause a substantial risk to life and/or property, the County Commissioners may declare a local emergency, including a weather related emergency, and may issue an order to close all, or a portion of, county roads to public travel. During the declared emergency closure, the affected roads may or may not be signed for closure and/or barricaded. All roads ordered closed will remain closed until further declaration of the County Commissioners.
Upon order of the Commissioners to close all, or a portion of, county roads:
- The Sheriff shall notify the following:
The current list of emergency management media contacts.
All the county communication centers.
County Emergency Management Agency - Travel on closed county roads is prohibited during a declared emergency closure unless the traveling individuals are:
Public safety employee of state or local government performing their duties
Health care providers traveling to, from, or in the course of their employment
Private persons performing road-clearing, or private snow removal provided that they do not impede or
interfere with highway snow removal crews or other emergency personnel
Persons restoring utility service
Traveling for any other purpose allowed by Indiana Code.
A person who violates this section shall be guilty of an infraction and may be fined up to $2,500.
Hamilton County Ordinance 8-20-8-6 - Obstructions on County Roadways & Rights of Way
A person shall not push, place, or deposit items, including but not limited to: snow, debris, construction materials or litter onto county right of way, other than materials within a public construction project limits, normal trash pickup, or such other material approved by the County Commissioners.
The driver of a vehicle that impedes or interferes with highway snow removal crews or other emergency personnel responding to an emergency may be directed to remove the vehicle from the county road. Upon direction by county or emergency personnel, the driver shall promptly remove the vehicle from the right of way, or be towed at the owner's expense.
Any vehicle parked in county right of way may be ordered towed at the owner's expense by a Deputy Sheriff or the County Highway Superintendent. The order to tow the vehicle may be delayed until there is an effort to notify the owner if the vehicle is visible to oncoming traffic and is not unreasonably restricting the use of the road by other vehicles. Hamilton County will not be held responsible for any resulting damage to the removed vehicle.
If a vehicle or other obstruction impedes the County's snow removal processes or obstructs the use of a County road by emergency vehicles, a Sheriff Deputy or the County Highway Superintendent may order removal of the obstruction by county vehicles or equipment. Hamilton County will not be liable for any resulting damage to the removed vehicle.
A person who violates this section shall be guilty of an infraction and may be fined up to $2,500.