Document Summary

This document is the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Snow Plowing Guide, which establishes operational standards and procedures for snow removal services on state highways. The guide provides technical specifications and best practices for contractors performing winter maintenance operations across New Jersey's roadway network.

The guide details plowing standards for various highway configurations, including two-lane two-direction highways, three-lane two-direction highways, four-lane undivided highways, and multi-lane divided highways with both raised and depressed medians. Specific standards are provided for specialized areas such as jughandles and switch-back curve ramps. The document establishes truck positioning, spacing requirements (typically 100 to 500 feet between trucks), overlap specifications (approximately 2 feet), and directional plow patterns to ensure complete snow removal and optimal traffic flow. Standards specify that trucks should maintain coordinated formations with lead trucks establishing the primary clearing path and trailing trucks widening the cleared area and cleaning shoulders to the gutter line. The guide mandates that switch-back curve ramps be plowed using power-reversible plows or graders when available to minimize thawing and refreezing cycles, with alternative procedures provided when such equipment is unavailable. These operational standards serve as performance benchmarks for all contractors engaged in NJDOT snow and spreading services throughout winter seasons.