City prepared for snowfall

Nov 9, 2020 | 4:22 PM Pete McIntyre

The City of West Kelowna’s roads maintenance crews are ready for forecast snow of five to 10 centimeters by noon Tuesday and ask motorists and residents to help crews clear the way.

As a forecast cold front moves in Monday night, snow and ice will make driving and walking conditions tricky, even as crews conduct road and sidewalk maintenance. Motorists and pedestrians should move with caution. Motorists should use winter-rated tires, use headlights, reduce speeds and leave extra breaking space.

Get more tips at shiftintowinter.ca.

City crews will maintain winter roads in priority sequence by:

Placing brine on designated routes prior to snowfall.
Focusing first on arterial roads, 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, 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.

View the city roads priority map at westkelownacity.ca/roads for more information.

If 48 hours after snow has stopped, crews have not been to your street, please contact the city 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 at 1-866-353-3136. Residents, please help clear the way:

Park off street 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 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.

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. Subscribe for the most up to date news and alerts at westkelownacity.ca/subscribe.