After responding to back-to-back storms last week, the Roads and Parking Services team is preparing for selective snow removal operations throughout the City. Crews will begin tonight in wards 12, 13, 14, 17 and will continue tomorrow in wards 7 and 15. The focus will be in Business Improvement Areas and business districts, residential streets and bike lanes where snowbanks have significantly increased.
Snow removal operations begin tonight
Snow removal is a planned event that requires us to physically remove snow from the side of the road and transport it to one of our snow storage facilities. Snow removal is different than snow clearing, which occurs as snow is falling or immediately after a snowfall, to move the snow from the roadway to the side of the road or to the City’s right of way.
In some communities, we are able to cast the snow from the roadway onto the City’s right of way and store it there. This is a safe operation which allows us to open roads without hauling snow away. Residents will know casting is taking place when they see the large blowers blowing snow off roads and sidewalks and onto City greenspace. Following our snow removal operations, a sidewalk machine is deployed to clear and treat the sidewalks in the area to ensure it remains safe for travel.
Residents can expect to see our team out in the community placing temporary ‘No Parking’ signs in snowbanks along the side of the roadway to prepare for snow removal. Residents will know snow removal is taking place when they see temporary no parking signage in their community, and/or line-ups of large trucks with snow being blown into the boxes.
While we are engaged in snow removal activities, residents are asked to observe the posted signage and to remove their vehicles from the roadway as per the signage - this includes vehicles with residential parking permits. Failing to do so may result in your vehicle being towed. Towed vehicles are relocated to an adjacent street where snow removal is not scheduled that day or has already been completed. Residents may call 3-1-1 for assistance in locating their vehicle.
While the operations are really exciting to watch, we do ask that all residents, and especially children, give the vehicles space to do their work. Please stay a safe distance back.
Next steps
This has been a busy time for the Roads and Parking Services team and the work continues to ensure the transportation network keeps Ottawa moving.
