It’s been a week since the first of two major winter storms blanketed Ottawa with about 70 centimetres of snow, and the Roads and Parking Services team has been hard at work ever since! Although the snowstorms are in the rear-view mirror now, winter operations keep moving forward to ensure the transportation network is safe and passable for all users.
Transportation network conditions and our response
Supervisors continue to monitor the transportation network. The focus today is on sidewalks and snow removal. Crews are working 24 hours a day on restoring the transportation network and snow removal. There is still a lot to accomplish, and your patience is appreciated.
Given the snow packed sidewalks and continued cleanup efforts, the Significant Weather Event remains in effect until further notice.
Snow removal operations
The Roads and Parking Services team is preparing for snow removal operations throughout the City. The focus will be in Business Improvement Areas and business districts, and where snowbanks have significantly increased on some arterial and collector roads. Snow removal operations will also begin on urban residential streets and bridge decks, and crews will be addressing sightline concerns at intersections and corners.
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.
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 exciting to watch, we ask all residents, and especially children, to give the vehicles space to do their work. Please stay a safe distance back.
Resident support is required
- Please help keep our streets clear and avoid shoveling snow onto the roadway, bike lanes, sidewalks, pathways and parks as it slows down our operations.
- With all that snow out there, it’s an exciting time to play, build snow forts and snowmen. It’s important children always do fun winter activities in the backyard and not on snowbanks along the road where our snowplow operators are working.
Next steps Roads and Parking Services is hard at work restoring the transportation network and snow removal
