The Township of Strong Public Works Department maintains municipally-owned roadways, and parking lots throughout the year. This page outlines various seasonal maintenance procedures for:

Winter maintenance

From Nov 1st to March 31st our crews maintain about 350 kms (176 kms of two laned roads) of roads by plowing, sanding, salting and removing snow.

Winter maintenance - how it works
The Public Works Department performs maintenance at a level that meets or exceeds Ontario Provincial Regulation 366/18 – Minimum Maintenance Standards for Roads.This ensures that snow and ice are removed within a specified time frame based on the specific road classification (average daily traffic volumes and speed limits).  
Plow routes
The Township of Strong has 3 dedicated plow routes that take approximately between 7-8 hours to complete depending on many factors (ie. weather, road conditions, obstructions such as parked vehicles, etc.).
Winter patrolling 

To ensure all roads are maintained, all rural roads are routinely patrolled and maintained to comply with Ontario Provincial Regulation 366/18 – Minimum Maintenance Standards for Roads.

 
Helpful tips for residents during the winter season 
  • Protect your mailbox by making sure the area around it is free and clear of snow. Should your mailbox be damaged by a plow, please submit a road concern to request an inspection and assessment to be conducted;
  • Don’t shovel, blow or plow snow out onto a public roadway. Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act it is illegal;
  • Keep children from playing in and around snowbanks near roadways and traffic;

Spring maintenance

Spring road conditions

After the spring thaw, seasonal load restrictions are put into effect on Township roads. Seasonal load restrictions are authorized and supported by the Public Works Department and Township By-Law 2004-1482.

During this time, the Township is committed to improving road conditions and reducing potential flooding by:

  • Using hot and cold mix asphalt to patch potholes during the winter and in early spring.
  • Clearing snow from the ends of culverts and using steam to thaw frozen culverts to allow maximum water flow and reduce potential flooding.
  • Grading gravel roads and shoulders for re-establishing the crown in the road, the removal of potholes and improving positive drainage to roadside ditches.

For more information, please call 705-384-5819

 
Gravel roads and shoulders 
  • Gravel roads are graded for re-establishing the crown in the road and digging out potholes for a smoother ride condition.
  • After the frost has lifted, crews also include grading of roadside shoulders to help surface water to sheet drain into the adjacent ditches and watercourses.
Spring clean-up road sweeping 

The annual spring clean-up includes the sweeping all municipally owned paved roads and hard surfaces, to remove debris and materials that have accumulated throughout the winter season and could pose dangers to motorists, pedestrians/cyclists (ie. slipper conditions) as well as clogging up culverts and inlets.

Residents are reminded to not rake or blow leaves, lawn clippings or other debris onto the roadway as this could result in a fine under the Highway Traffic Act R.S.O 1990, c H.8, s 180. 

 
Road closures news feed 
Subscribe to our road works and event closures news feed to stay informed. Also, sign up for CodeRED Emergency Notification for text message, email and/or phone call notifications of closures. 
Reporting a street light outage 

To report a street light outage, please contact the Township by calling 705-384-5819 ext 203 or submit a road concern.

Please make note of the LP number (yellow Lakeland Tag Number), the street location of the outage, and specific issue (ie. light out completely, light flickering, etc.)

 
Replacement of damaged mailboxes
Damage to rural mailboxes often occurs during winter, but a mailbox may also be damaged by other types of road maintenance equipment.