City of Edmonton says more equipment, better service coming to snow removal this season
Global News
The City of Edmonton says more equipment will be on the roads this winter to help clear snow and ice more effectively than in year's past.
The City of Edmonton says more equipment will be on the roads this winter to help clear snow and ice more effectively.
On Thursday morning, city officials outlined Edmonton’s plans for snow and ice removal for the upcoming season.
The city said additional funding approved by council earlier this year will lead to improvements, with more equipment on the roads to clear areas more quickly following a snowfall.
The city said this year, it will pick up collected snow around school zones more often, conduct residential maintenance more frequently and provide three additional supplier-filled sandbox sites for public use.
This season, the city will not plow down to bare pavement in residential areas. The goal is to reduce the size of windrows in residential areas, as well as blocked catch basins, both of which were problems in Edmonton last season.
“This year, we want to ensure that everyone who lives, works and plays in Edmonton has an improved winter experience,” said Craig McKeown, branch manager of the city’s parks and roads service. “Additional funding provided by Council will help enable the City’s operations to be more effective in responding to winter weather conditions, providing more consistency in what Edmontonians can expect.”
“Edmontonians will see an improved experience in road and pathway clearing when the snow starts to fall in 2022,” said Valerie Dacyk, general supervisor of infrastructure field operations. “More crews will be seen clearing roads, pathways and city walkways.”
The city will also rely on enforcement this year, committing to ticketing and towing vehicles not obeying seasonal parking bans. Currently, drivers could be fined $100 for infractions. However, changes to the traffic bylaw are on the agenda to be discussed at an upcoming council meeting, which could increase the fine to $250.