City of Edmonton says back-to-back snowfall events making snow removal a challenge

After Edmonton was pummelled by back-to-back snowfall events over the holidays, the city says it's been a challenge for crews to start clearing snow in residential neighbourhoods because of the work needed just to clear main roads. 

Valerie Dacyk, general supervisor with the city’s infrastructure field operations team, says crews have been working non-stop for the past 20 days.

“We have had all available personnel and equipment on the road and trying to make everything safe and enjoyable for the holiday season,” she said during a news conference held on Tuesday to talk about snow-clearing efforts.

“Our crew remains active, working on over 12,000 kilometres of roadway and over 500 kilometres of active pathways.”

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang told CBC News on Monday that December has seen higher-than-average precipitation.

She said the 30-year average for precipitation in Edmonton in December is 11.8 millimetres. As of Monday, 49.1 millimetres of precipitation had been recorded in the city this month — 416 per cent higher than the average.

A Phase 1 parking ban was implemented in Edmonton on Sunday to help crews begin moving snow from arterial roads, collector roads, bus routes and roads within business improvement areas. 

The parking ban will last until noon Wednesday.

Lang said Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network volunteers in and around Edmonton have recorded anywhere between 42.9 to 67.1 centimetres of snow this December.

“What's been happening — and it's been happening across much of the Prairie provinces — is the systems that produce this snow have been going along almost the same path every single time they've come through,” she said, noting that is resulting in a lot of snow for central Alberta, central Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba.  

“We haven't made it into residentials yet, and we have planned to as long as the weather co-operates in the next two weeks,” Dacyk said. 

With the significant amount of snowfall that has had to be removed in recent days, windrows have been the result.

A windrow is a pile of snow on the side of a road that was created by plowing or blading.

After the Phase 1 ban is lifted, crews will remove snow that has been piled in the middle of major roads, and also clear windrows in business improvement areas and other high-priority locations.