Burlington is Ready for Old Man Winter

Published December 11, 2017 at 3:52 pm

Even though we don’t get much white stuff – in comparison to nearby cities – Burlington’s snow clearing crews are ready for Old Man Winter.

Even though we don’t get much white stuff – in comparison to nearby cities – Burlington’s snow clearing crews are ready for Old Man Winter.

“This year, we will be starting the snow plowing earlier during a snow fall event,” said the city’s manager of road operations Mark Adam.

“As usual, primary roads like Appleby Line, Upper Middle Rd., Guelph Line, Brant St. and others are done first. When those are complete, we will move onto secondary roads and then residential streets.”

And as much as we love our sports, it’s “really important for people to keep their cars, hockey nets and basketball nets off the street so our plows can safely and efficiently navigate the roads,” Adam said.

During the winter season, the City of Burlington maintains 1,900 lane kms of roads and 850 kms of sidewalks.

Residents can use the What’s Been Plowed feature to see which streets have been plowed when it snows.

The city also has a video to inform residents about the snow clearing services they can expect during wintery weather conditions.

Residents can help with the removal of snow from streets and sidewalks by following road safety and parking rules:

  • Remove cars parked on the street during or after a snowfall. Also, please do not leave vehicles over the sidewalk while in your driveway as this can prevent the sidewalk plow from completing its work.
  • Take it slow when driving in winter conditions. Give yourself more time to travel. Avoid tailgating and pass other vehicles with caution.
  • Do not shovel, plow or blow snow from residential or commercial properties onto the road. This poses a hazard to motorists and is prohibited by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and city bylaw.
  • Snow plows need room to clear the ice and snow. Please stay back 70 feet as sand and salt may be dropping from the trucks. This also gives you room to stop safely.
  • Give snow plows plenty of space at intersections. The snow plow may need two or more lanes to turn or to get through the intersection. If a snow plow is waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not pull up and stop underneath or in front of the wing plow (the plow attached to the right side of the truck). Your vehicle could be struck by the plow when the truck pulls forward.

Photo courtesy of the City of Burlington

“The forecast for this winter is calling for a lot of snow. Our drivers have been trained and are ready to clear the roads so emergency vehicles and commuters can get safely to their destinations,” said director of the department of roads, parks and forestry Mary Battaglia.

“Public safety is our number one priority.”

(Photo courtesy of the City of Burlington)

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