Graders have finished scrapping ice and snow off city streets in seven out of 11 snow zones as of Monday.
Roads superintendent Doug Halldorson said snow clearing from the storm in early November is expected to be finished by the end of this week, or early next week.
“We’re doing pretty good. We’re a touch behind schedule but there’s way more snow than we anticipated,” Halldorson said.
Parking restrictions are put in place when snow zone plowing starts. Unfortunately, several vehicles remained parked on roads so graders had to go slower which is another reason why plowing is taking more time, he added.
“It’s a big piece of equipment and to navigate around without hitting (a vehicle), it takes a little bit of extra time. If the cars would get off the road we could go a little quicker.”
So far about 81 vehicles have been ticketed and towed on Green Routes (bus routes or connector roads), and just over 1,600 vehicles on Grey Routes (residential streets) have been ticketed and plowed around by graders.
A parking infraction ticket costs the vehicle owner $65 and a tow is $70.
We continue with residential plowing this week. Today we are finishing up Green Routes in Snow Zone F & Grey Routes in Snow Zone E. The schedule is based on current information and conditions and is subject to change. Stay up to date at https://t.co/0kYEHa6lLb. pic.twitter.com/aozRjt0E3C
— The City of Red Deer (@CityofRedDeer) November 28, 2022
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For those who live on a Green Route, ‘No Parking’ signs are put out on the street at least 12 hours before plows arrive.
For those on a Grey Route, large ‘No Parking’ signs are only posted at the entrances to neighbourhoods. No signs are put out on the street.
Halldorson recommended residents sign up for Notify Red Deer so they know when plows are coming to their neighbourhood and have time to move their vehicles to make snow plowing more efficient.
Within the city, a total of 19,185 people have registered for Notify Red Deer, and of those 15,774 are registered for Snow Zone Alerts.
The city’s snow zone plowing program, triggered when snowpack reaches five to 10 cm, determines when neighbourhood streets are plowed. Snow zones are assigned a letter from A to O, and this season snow clearing started with the Snow Zone J.
A Morrisroe resident said she was waiting for streets in her neighbourhood to be cleared and was concerned about the ruts and ice on Mitchell Avenue where there are two schools.
“I drive a four-wheel-drive truck with four studded winter tires and I am sliding,” said the resident who called the city to complain.
Morrisroe is in Snow Zone H where snow removal is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1. The resident said she was told that sand would be spread on Mitchell Avenue in the meantime.
For snow clearing information visit reddeer.ca/snow.
