Saskatoon’s City Manager says the amount of snowfall this early in the season when it isn’t even officially winter yet is unprecedented, and that’s why all roads, including residential streets, will be cleared. Jeff Jorgenson says to get that done as quickly as possible, they need more road crews, so any contractors with the right equipment should call the City’s customer care line.
Crews are working on widening and de-icing the priority streets, including school zones, and they are working 24 hours a day in 12 hour shifts. The hardest hit residential areas will receive first priority for snow removal. That includes neighbourhoods adjacent to open areas like parks and the outlying areas. Jorgenson says the more traveled roads will be plowed first and then the plows will go back and cover all of the streets later.
Further inside the city where the streets are on a grid system, residents will notice every second street being cleared, and then going back for a second run, followed by removing all of the snow, which Jorgenson says will be another monumental effort.
Jorgenson doesn’t remember a time in the past when all of the City’s roads were cleared, including residential streets, not even in 2007. He notes the work will affect the snow budget, but says there is a $3.6-million stabilization reserve just for snow removal. That won’t cover the cost, but City Administration will take the information to the new Council for funding strategies. Jorgenson adds that the City has an extensive network of reserves, even though COVID-19 has challenged their budget.
Jorgenson urges everyone to watch for children playing in the snow piles from all of this plowing, whether from the city or from residents.
He understands children may want to play and build forts and snow tunnels, but says these piles aren’t stable and could collapse, causing injury or death. He asks anyone who notices children playing on the snow piles to let them know it’s dangerous. The City will also be doing comprehensive communication on this matter.
The latest information will be posted to the Schedule section of saskatoon.ca/snow.
