There’s almost ‘snow time’ left before wintery weather returns to Fort St John. Environment Canada’s forecast for the last weekend of October shows a 60 per cent chance of flurries on Sunday night.
The bitter cold is not new to the city – however, Fort St John city council’s revised snow and ice policy is. This plan covers city-operated snow removal and relevant street parking regulations.
“This policy promises to significantly enhance the way snow removal operations are conducted,” city staff told the council. The already-approved approach banned street parking on major roads in the city, except 100 Street and 100 Avenue – only overnight parking is barred on those streets.
The revised plan also introduces the categorization of city roads. Categories are determined based on the amount of traffic a path typically has. Staff also considered the width of the street for cars to pass through and the area’s proximity to the hospital and other emergency routes when determining the order.
“Clearing operations typically (will proceed) in numerical order from category one through category five. However, deviations from this sequence may occur during major or significant snowfalls, city-sponsored events, or unusual weather conditions,” explained city staff.
Category one roads include 100 Street, 100 Avenue, and “major throughfares (and) adjacent sidewalks,” staff said.
Collector routes, alongside their sidewalks, will be cleared second. Bus stops, bus routes, and “core avenues,” are third in line. Then, the second-to-last category to be plowed will be all frontage roads and “core commercial paved lanes.”
Residential neighbourhoods in the city are considered the fifth category. These areas will see a “scheduled approach,” according to city staff. Blocks will belong to either section A or B – each area’s snow will be cleared on alternating Mondays. Residents must move their cars off the street on their designated snow clearing day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
People who live in homes with sidewalks adjacent to them are responsible for clearing the snow off the sidewalks within 48 hours. Five centimetres will remain the threshold of snow accumulation required before city snowplows and ice removal operations hit the road.
