WATCH ABOVE: The city is looking at different snow removal options to get streets cleared in a timely and cost efficient manner, and is considering ticketing and towing vehicles to do so.
REGINA – Winter driving can have its challenges and nobody knows that more than a snowplow operator maneuvering around parked cars.
The city is looking at different snow removal options to get streets cleared in a timely and cost efficient manner, and could potentially begin ticketing and towing vehicles to do so.
The current snow removal system relies on residents to be mindful and park elsewhere after a heavy snowfall, but not everyone complies.
The executive director of transportation and utilities, Karen Gasmo, said snow drifts are inevitable when snowplow operators have to work around a vehicle.
“It can narrow the roadway in which the cars are trying to pass by and can create safety issues, and there’s always potential to cause damage to cars parked there or equipment used to get around it,” she explained.
The city’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee was presented with four snow route options at the beginning of October.
The first option was to maintain status quo.
The second and third option explored implementation of seasonal snow routes and temporary parking bans.
The fourth and final option was recommended to the committee and pushed to maintain the status quo, but with better communication and education to the public.
Ward 2 councilor and committee co-chair, Bob Hawkins, said council rejected the option and asked administration for a more appropriate plan to remove cars from roads for efficient snow removal.
“We thought a stronger message was necessary and that’s why we thought we should be looking at ticketing and towing to make sure the streets are properly cleaned,” he explained.
Administration proposed a study Thursday to the committee for snow route options over the winter season that would target specific locations of concern, such as plowing along high priority routes.
“Critical areas would be ones where on street parking occurs 24 hours a day,” explained Gasmo. “So, there are no opportunities for our operators to get in and properly clear the roads.”
Mayor Michael Fougere said another consideration council will take when considering snow removal options is the cost.
A ticket and tow option could come with an approximate $500,000 operating cost for things like signage and enforcement, which may not be paid for by fines.
“It’s one thing to have a program in place but if people don’t understand it’s not really fair either,” he added. “So, its public education, it’s explaining what the goals are and asking people to comply and ultimately it could result in being ticketed and towed away.”
The city can currently put up temporary no parking signs and give out tickets to residents who don’t move their vehicles when it comes to leaf and garbage pickup, but officials say it’s rare to do so for snow removal.
Findings from the report aren’t expected until sometime in 2015.
Until then an educational campaign will remind residents to park elsewhere when the snow hits and give snowplows lots of room to groom.
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