A week of snow – know before you go
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Dec. 6, 2021
With consecutive days of winter weather in the forecast, the City of West Kelowna is asking residents to be patient and help clear the way as crews are out in force controlling snow and ice during the first big snowfall of the season.
Environment Canada forecasts more than 10 centimetres of snow by the end of day Monday, with freezing drizzle possible tonight and flurries expected throughout the week.
Our crews maintain winter roads in priority sequence as follows:
- Placing brine on designated routes prior to snowfall, if pre-storm conditions allow.
- Focusing first on arterial roads (Priority 1s) such as Boucherie, Glenrosa, Shannon Lake and Westlake to ensure that the most traveled roads are passable for emergency crews and priority services, delivery of essential goods and mass transit.
- Focusing secondly on collector roads, (Priority 2s) school bus and other transit routes and steep neighbourhood accesses such as Auburn, Elliott, Gellatly, Ross and Thacker.
- Moving thirdly to local streets, cul-de-sacs, etc. (Priority 3s).
View our roads priority map at westkelownacity.ca/snowdays for more information.
If 48 hours after snow has stopped, crews have not been to your street, please contact us then. Call 778-797-2225 during office hours 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. Afterhours please call AEL Roads Maintenance at 1-866-353-3136.
Residents, please help clear the way:
- Park off street for up to 48 hours after the snowfall ends and until snow is cleared.
- On street parking makes plowing difficult and sometimes impossible. Incidents have occurred where plows could not pass parked cars to clear streets.
- Do not shovel snow from driveways and sidewalks back onto the street.
- This also slows plow drivers’ work. Pile snow on your property and keep storm drains and hydrants adjacent to your property as clear as possible.
- Shovel snow to the left (as you face your home) so plows drag less snow across accesses.
- Sorry, passing plows direct snow to the right and do leave windrows.
- Remove snow and ice from sidewalks and walkways bordering your property.
- The city removes snow and ice from designated sidewalks, primarily adjacent to civic buildings, parks and pedestrian accesses.
Residents are also reminded to drive according to conditions by reducing speeds and leaving extra braking and response distance between vehicles. Keep your headlights on. Have good tires appropriate for the season. Learn more at shiftintowinter.ca
For roads maintenance on Highway 97, 97C and Westside Road call AIM at 1-866-222-4204. For WR Bennett Bridge, call Protrans at 1-888-769-2925. If you live in strata, check with your board or management company.
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