'Not currently meeting our service levels': City analysis finds gaps in snow removal, proposes enhancements

City of Edmonton officials say more can be done to speed up snow and ice removal, but that would require funding increases for more staff and equipment.

After conducting a seasonal ice and snow removal review, staff identified that current service standards are more "aspirational" than "attainable."

A range of options was drafted for council to consider to help improve roadway and active pathway clearing after a snowstorm, including a $27.1 million top-off to the existing budget to meet the city's standards or $71.7 million to meet service expectations faster.

Currently, the base budget for winter roadway plowing is $38.6 million.

The first priority for roadside clearing is for freeways, arterial roads, business districts, and bus routes to be at bare pavement by 36 hours after a snow event and bringing alleys and back lanes in business districts to a five-centimetre snowpack.

According to the city, that goal was met 76.1 per cent of the time this past winter.

When it came to clearing collector roads, bus routes, and access to transit park and ride areas to bare pavement by 48 hours after a snowfall, the city met the standard only 36.5 per cent of the time.

Residential roadway and alley clearing to a five-centimetre snowpack is to be completed within seven to nine days after the city initiates a blading cycle. Last winter, that was only achieved 59.8 per cent of the time.

"(Those figures) show that we are doing some things well and some not so well," said Eddie Robar, former branch manager for parks and road services.

WE SHOULD BE PUTTING MORE CREWS OUT: CITY

According to Robar, the city faces a staffing crunch preventing expected snow removal standards from being met.

"We put on average about 57 trucks out on the road each winter snow event," he said. "We should be putting about 100 on the road."

The city says over the past five years, the number of permanent employees involved in snow clearing decreased by 18 per cent and seasonal workers by approximately four per cent.

In addition, contractor issues and a growing inventory of roads have pushed the capacity of snow clearing crews, Robar said.

In the past five years, Robar said the number of roadway lane kilometres increased by 21 per cent and bike lane kilometres surged by 28 per cent.

"We're not currently meeting our service levels with the resources that we have," McKeown added.

The city has also lost $5 million toward snow removal due to a decrease in photo-radar tickets.

This winter, the city installed GPS tracking on all equipment to better inform future snow removal.

"Knowing what we know now, with the data we can now leverage, this gives us a whole new level of insight into our performance," said Craig McKeown, current parks and road services branch manager.

McKeown said that data informed the options for service enhancements that council will consider.

"With these new ways to evaluate our work and additional resources, we can improve the experience for Edmontonians in our winter city, and we are committed to delivering that service that will make a difference to Edmontonians in supporting safe mobility and accessibility," McKeown said.

ENHANCEMENT OPTIONS

Under the base scenario, $42.2 million would be spent to clear arterial roads to bare pavement in 2.9 days, as opposed to the average of 5.3 days, and for most city maintained active pathways from 7.9 days to two days.

"There would be a noticeable difference," McKeown said.

Another option would accelerate those service standards, taking freeway clearing to 1.5 days. Residential blading would go from the current state of 10.4 days to three days. That would require a $71.1 million top-off.

McKeown said all options are based on an "average" amount of snowfall.

"If there is a significantly larger snowfall, the expectation is we wouldn't be able to clear all priority one roadways in 36 hours," he said.

Council will also consider other service enhancements, including better equipment, enforcement, and active pathway clearing.

One enhancement includes residential street windrow collection up to four times a winter for $47.6 million.

If the city wanted to transition toward clearing residential roads to bare pavement instead of a five-centimetre snowpack, that would require an investment of $143.3 million.

The city's public services committee will consider the report on April 25.