Snow and Ice Removal Leave Cities and States Bracing for Heart of Winter

What is being done to remove the danger and inconvenience of snow and ice on roads and highways? While the temperatures continue to plummet, requests for snow and ice removal services rise. Working around budget constraints, some related to the COVID-19 pandemic, transportation departments are working to support and continue this vital service.

Particularly those who live in areas prone to snow and ice, understand that wintery conditions result in driving being quite dangerous and unpredictable. Even the most experienced driver will find that ice covered roads are difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, the hazards of driving in snow and ice can often result in delays and accidents. Sometimes those accidents can be serious and deadly.

From across the U.S., we see that public sector entities are submitting bid and RFP requests to tackle the important job of keeping our roadways clear and safe. Individual travel, freight, schools, public transportation, and emergency services rely on action being taken. In advance of the need, prudent government officials proactively incorporated snow and ice removal into planning discussions and program development. With staffing identified, equipment in place, and strategies at the ready, important routes are addressed wherever snow and ice accumulate.

In advance of this winter season and in compliance with local planning mandates, state and local governments have invested a lot of resources and tax money towards keeping roadways open. Of course, even the best efforts don’t ensure driving conditions are 100% perfect. Sometimes, Mother Nature has other ideas.

Over the past five years, with remarkable consistency, September has been the month with far and away the highest number of snow and ice removal related solicitations. However, do not be mistaken: even today, there are new and ongoing needs that are being addressed through the budgeting and purchasing processes.

The public sector has a number of weapons at their disposal. You will see crews using everything from shovels, to snow blowers, plows, trucks, salt throwers and more. While many agencies already have these resources and staffing at the ready, we see a high number of instances where snow and ice removal services are being outsourced. Is that where your business comes in?

In the past year, there have been well over 1,000 requests to address snow and ice removal, most from state and local governments. Because of their geography, I doubt you will find that many of these are incredibly surprising, but these are the states that had the highest number of snow removal and deicing related bid/RFP requests over the past twelve months for ‘snow removal’:

Sample Active Bids/RFPs

Snow, Ice, Salt

Snow and Ice Removal

Road Salt

As with most everything right now, COVID-19 could impact the timeliness of agencies addressing snow and ice removal needs. Similar to most every industry, there is a significant chance there will be the need to quarantine employees, because of positive test results, sickness, or contact tracing. Compared to previous years, there could be delays or fewer assets deployed, lengthening the removal response.

If you plan on driving in the winter months, be aware of the conditions and stay safe. To help removal crews, be a good neighbor and comply with ordinances and move your parked vehicles from snow routes so the equipment can run quickly and unabated. Remember, the sooner roadways are cleared it decreases the opportunity for snow to become a layer of dangerous ice!

To see current bids/RFPs and a historical analysis of relevant opportunities, or information about our company, please call us at 888.808.5356 or visit BidPrime.