Delhi Township public works and administration described operations and constraints in the township’s response to a heavy January snowstorm at the Jan. 8 trustees meeting.

Public Works Director Ron Ripperger said the township maintains roughly 55 lane miles and divides them into five primary plow routes, adding a sixth truck when time-sensitive needs require faster clearance. Ripperger explained that crews prioritize main and emergency routes before attempting longer-time tasks such as clearing cul-de-sacs, and he asked residents to move cars off streets where possible to help crews work more effectively.

"It's 55 lane miles of road. It's split up between five routes. If we can get a six truck out, if it's time sensitive to keep rush hour and get things done faster, we do that as much as we can," Ripperger said, describing route assignment and resource constraints.

Why it matters: The remarks explain why some residential streets and cul-de-sacs are cleared last after major streets are made passable, and they outline safety steps residents can take to help emergency access during storms.

Details provided at the meeting
- Routes and equipment: Ripperger said the township splits 55 lane miles into five routes and will deploy a sixth truck when available. During the most recent storm the operation relied on five trucks with one repair issue; the department used loaders and skid steers to reach difficult cul-de-sacs.
- Cul-de-sacs: The township has about 250 cul-de-sacs. Clearing each cul-de-sac can take 15–20 minutes, meaning that full cleanup can require many crew-hours; for that reason crews prioritize routes serving emergency access first before returning to cul-de-sacs with loaders.
- Hydrants and driveway access: Officials asked residents to keep fire hydrants cleared of snow and to consider whether ambulance access to homes and driveways will be possible. Fire Chief Campbell and public works staff both urged homeowners to keep hydrants and house furnace vents clear to reduce response time and carbon monoxide risk.
- Vehicle classes and CDLs: Ripperger explained the mix of truck sizes and noted two smaller township trucks fall below the CDL threshold so more drivers can operate them. He estimated the CDL weight threshold in the area is roughly the mid-26,000-pound range and said the township’s smaller trucks meet that limit by a few hundred pounds (exact federal/state thresholds were not cited at the meeting).
- Interagency coordination: Ripperger reported that the township coordinates with neighboring townships and the Hamilton County Engineer’s crews and that some county trucks were out of service during the storm, which affected regional capacity.
- Public messaging and support: Administrator Miller announced a 13-person multi-department snow task force responding to the storm; he read the names of staff from public works, parks and zoning who were deployed and thanked them by name for extended hours.

What residents were asked to do: Move cars off local streets when possible; clear hydrants visible on your street; knock snow away from storm inlets to reduce basement flooding; and be mindful of safe use of space heaters and carbon-monoxide risks after storms.

Ending: Trustees and staff reminded residents that continued snow threats were expected and encouraged calls to the township for missed streets rather than relying on social media posts.