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Why snow fence should be set back some distance from the road or railway?
Principle of snow control

Travelers through snowy areas are faced with a number of driver safety issues, included reduced visibility. The installation of a snow fence reduces those risks, as it blocks blowing snow from impacting driver views.

  • Wind is forced to go around and through the snow fence, losing speed and energy.
  • Suspended snow particles drop out as wind speed decreases, forming drifts in front of and behind the fence.
  • Very little snow reaches the road, keeping lanes open and increasing visibility.

Ideally the fence should be set back from the shoulder a distance that 35 times the height of the fence. Placing the fence too close to the roadway can make drifting problems worse.