Edmonton launches updated winter roads strategy with live maps and new priorities

The Edmonton snow plow named Connor McBlade-It on Oct. 17, 2024. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton)

Edmonton launched an updated winter driving program on Thursday.

The city will provide real-time maps and adjusted prioritized service levels to help residents navigate snowy roads more easily.

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"The city of Edmonton maintains more than 12,000 kilometres of roadway and over 500 kilometres of active pathways. To put that into perspective, 12,000 kilometres is the distance from Edmonton to England and back," Caitlin Zerebeski of Edmonton's parks and roads department told reporters on Thursday.

"The city has approximately 600 people working on the roads and active pathway crews and approximately 100 plows available for use at any time."

The updated road-clearing priorities are as follows:

• 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.

Edmontonians are reminded to give plows and operators space to work safely.

Drivers are not allowed to pass a snow plow if the view along the side of the plow is obstructed, or if it would impede the operation of the plow.

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 to be completed when resources allow.

 

Roadways snow clearing map

Edmontonians will be able to see where on Edmonton's 12,000 kilometres of roadways the city's named plows, including the Big Leplowski, Connor McBlade-It and the Plow King are working this winter on a new live map.

The city says under normal conditions, the map will show the priorities of each roadway while showing the locations where plows are applying traction and conducting touch-up clearing.

During a significant snow event, the map will adjust to show the clearing status of all the roadways and the locations of the plows.

People will be able to see nearly 200 vehicles on the map, including the 30 named plows.

 

Active pathways snow clearing map

Residents will also be able to see the status of active pathways when a snow event happens, including the winter priority loop.

 

Parking bans

The city says it will continue to declare parking bans after significant snowfalls. A city-wide parking ban can consist of two phases, a Phase 1 ban to clear major roads, bus routes and business improvement areas.

A Phase 1 parking ban could last for up to five days.

A Phase 2 parking ban can be declared for residential and industrial snow clearing and may last up to 10 days.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for text and email notifications to get notified directly about Phase 2 parking bans.

You can receive notifications for up to four street addresses.

 

Sidewalk clearing

Residents are reminded that they are responsible for clearing the snow and ice from in front of their homes as soon as possible, especially during snowstorms and freeze/thaw cycles.

 

Enforcement

Edmontonians can expect to see tickets to be handed out to improve the speed and efficiency of snow clearing throughout the city.

Drivers who park illegally during a parking ban could receive a $250 ticket.

Failing to clear a sidewalk can result in a $100 ticket.

 

Community sandbox program

The city provides free sand at 100 community sandbox locations, including 11 centralized bin locations, to help residents keep their sidewalks safe and accessible.

Details about the boxes are on the city's website.

 

Updates to snow storage sites

The city says its snow storage facilities are undergoing upgrades to make them more environmentally friendly.

The Poundmaker location in west Edmonton will be closed for the season as part of the upgrades.

Contractors and businesses using snow storage sites can still use the city's other three locations.