City uses 80 snow clearing units to clean-up snow storm

The City of Kelowna says its crews are making significant progress clearing Kelowna’s roadways.

“Since the snowfall began Wednesday morning, there have been more than 80 snow clearing units working to clear and sand roadways, sidewalks and municipal parking lots across the city,” a city news release stated. “While yesterday’s road clearing efforts were focused on priority one and two roads, crews will continue clearing today and hope to begin clearing priority three roads by this afternoon. Crews will also be returning to priority one routes for sanding as needed.”

Roadways Operations Manager Andrew Schwerdtfeger said their winter fleet logged over 12,000 kilometres clearing snow from Kelowna’s roads on Wednesday.

“As priority three snow clearing begins, we need to regularly return to the priority one and two roadways to sand them as snow falls off vehicles and creates slippery conditions,” Schwerdtfeger said.

With snow-packed conditions on most priority two and three roads, motorists are reminded to slow down, give extra space to roadway crews and fellow drivers and to always drive to current road conditions.

Other ongoing snow and ice control efforts include:

• 8 municipal tractors clearing sidewalks surrounding city property and along arterial routes.
• 30 staff clearing snow from stairs, walkways & transit stops.
• 50 staff & 8 units clearing snow from city parks.
• 10 units piling snow in cul-de-sacs, ongoing for the remainder of the week.
• 40 units supporting road clearing efforts city-wide.
• 27 units clearing municipal parking lots.

City crews have been collecting snow in the middle of roads in Kelowna’s downtown core to ensure there is room in parking and curbside areas. Depending on the weather over the next week, snow removal operations may be required.

Over twenty-four hours has passed since a snow event advisory was declared in Kelowna and temporary parking bans are in effect for all snow route areas, including Academy Way, Black Mountain, Clifton/Magic Estates/Wilden, Dilworth Mountain, Kirschner Mountain, McKinley Beach, Quail Ridge and areas in the South Mission, including The Ponds.

Residents are asked to support neighbours, including tenants, in finding temporary off-street parking, and to help clear any roadway obstacles (i.e., garbage cans, basketball nets, etc.) that may impede snow clearing efforts. Parking enforcement will begin today, and cars left on snow route streets will be courtesy towed to nearby locations and vehicle owners will be subject to a $50 fine.

For more information about snow clearing and snow routes, including daily updates, visit kelowna.ca/snow.