City launches updated Snow and Ice Control Program

October 17, 2024

With colder weather around the corner, the City's Snow and Ice Control program will once again help residents navigate the City by maintaining roadways and active pathways. This winter, updated real-time maps and adjusted prioritized service levels will provide residents with more specific information on City snow-clearing activities.

"Edmonton is a winter city and the Snow and Ice Control program helps everyone to experience a safe and liveable city. The program ensures residents can connect and access spaces, services, facilities and transportation networks no matter how they travel," said Caitlin Zerebeski, Acting Branch Manager of Parks and Roads Services.

Snow Clearing Prioritization and Service Levels

When it snows, a priority clearing system helps keep Edmontonians safe and traffic flowing smoothly. Roadways and active pathways each have dedicated teams and specialized equipment to complete clearing.

The road-clearing priorities, as outlined in the Snow and Ice Control Policy and service levels, are:

• Priority 1: select freeways, arterial roadways, downtown business districts and hills to be completed within one day.
• Priority 2: remaining freeways, arterial roadways, business districts, collector roadways, and Transit Park and Ride access roads to be completed within five days.
• Priority 3: industrial areas and rural roads to be completed within six days.
• Priority 4: residential roads (only completed as part of a Phase 2 parking ban) to be completed within 10 days.

The priorities for active pathways, as per service levels, are:

• Priority 1: City facilities and Winter Priority Loop - a network of pathways connecting downtown, Old Strathcona and the University of Alberta - to be completed within one day.
• Priority 2: City sidewalks, staircases, ramps, shared paths, pedestrian bridges, bus stop access, and bike lanes to be completed within three days.
• Priority 3: manually cleared areas, bus stop benches and pads to be completed within 14 days.
• Priority 4: community sandboxes and safe mobility devices to be completed when resources allow.

View an infographic displaying the service levels.

Roadways Snow Clearing Map

The popular named plows - including The Big Leplowski, Connor McBlade-It and Plow King - return to Edmonton streets this season! The live Roadways Snow Clearing Map allows residents to see where plows are actively clearing Edmonton's more than 12,000 kilometres of roadways. When the snow is falling, plows are out and crews work 24/7 to address snow accumulation and traction concerns.

Under normal weather conditions, the map displays the priorities of each roadway while showing the locations where plows are applying traction and conducting touch-up clearing. When significant snow falls, a snow event is declared and the map adjusts to display the clearing status of all roadways and the location of plows. Residents can use the map to keep an eye on the nearly 200 vehicles, including the 30 named plows, used to clear snow and ice.

Active Pathways Snow Clearing Map with Winter Priority Loop

New this season, the Active Pathways Snow Clearing Map will display the clearing status of active pathways when a snow event occurs. This will now be updated similarly to the roadways map. Under normal weather conditions, the map displays the clearing priorities, including the Winter Priority Loop.

Parking Bans

When weather conditions, such as significant snowfall, require improved service, the City can declare a parking ban. A city-wide parking ban can consist of two phases:

• Phase 1 -Major Roads: crews clear core business areas, bus routes and business improvement areas. Residents may continue to park on their residential street. A Phase 1 parking ban may last up to five days.
• Phase 2 -Residential and Industrial Areas: Phase 2 parking bans are conditional and can be declared, if needed, following a Phase 1 parking ban. Phase 2 parking bans may last up to 10 days. During a Phase 2 parking ban, crews clear residential and industrial areas. Residents may park on their driveway, in a parking space on a neighbour's property (with their permission) or on any road cleared during a Phase 1 ban, on roads where parking is normally allowed.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for text and email notifications at edmonton.ca/SafeTravels to receive direct information about parking ban activations and clearing status updates. Residents can receive notifications for up to four street addresses.

Snow Clearing is a Shared Responsibility

As residents of a winter city, everyone must be considerate of the impact snow-covered and icy sidewalks have on neighbours and fellow citizens. A guiding principle of the City's snow and ice policy is that of shared responsibility - we all have a role to play in keeping our city sidewalks safe. Property owners should remove snow and ice as soon as possible, especially during days of continuous snowfall and during freeze/thaw cycles.

Enforcement

Edmontonians can expect to see ticketing as a tool to contribute to the speed, efficiency and quality of snow and ice clearing throughout the city. Drivers who do not move their vehicle during a parking ban may receive a $250 ticket. Failure to clear a sidewalk may result in a $100 ticket.

Don't Crowd the Plow

Please be mindful of plows and operators by giving them space to do their work safely. Drivers must not pass a snowplow when the view along the side of the snowplow is obstructed or when passing would impede the operation of the snowplow.

Community Sandbox Program

The City provides sand, at no cost, to help residents keep their sidewalks safe and accessible. The City provides reliable access to sand at 100 community sandbox locations across the City, including 11 large, centralized bin locations. Residents can find more details at edmonton.ca/communitysandboxes.

Snow Storage Site Upgrades

The City's snow storage facilities are undergoing upgrades to improve environmental performance. This includes the Poundmaker location in west Edmonton being closed for the season. Contractors and businesses using snow storage sites can use the other three locations. Additional information is available at edmonton.ca/snowstorageupgrades.

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