The City of Edmonton has declared a parking ban, set to take effect at 11 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. in an effort to clear city streets.
That means that drivers should not be parking on bus routes, which are identified with seasonal no parking signs.
This follows a heavy snowfall of about 12-16 cm in the Edmonton region, according to Global Edmonton weather specialist Kevin O’Connell.
After the snow blanketed the city over Friday evening and throughout Saturday, 363 collisions were reported to Edmonton police between Friday evening and Sunday at 5 p.m.
Andrew Grant, the city’s infrastructure field operations supervisor, said that the city has all its 130 plows and sanders on the streets 24 hours a day right now, and is also calling in contractors.
“We have large equipment, we’re out driving in winter conditions, and it is a challenge for drivers to navigate the big equipment in and out of all the vehicles,” Grant said.
“If vehicles aren’t in the way, it allows us to do a much better job and just be more efficient so we can cover more ground quickly.”
According to Environment Canada, Edmonton has a 30 per cent chance of flurries for Sunday, but Monday is expected to be clear from snow. Temperatures are also set to drop throughout the day Sunday, with a high of minus 14 and a wind chill making that feel like minus 22 by the afternoon.
This year, city council decided to remove the use of calcium chloride from its snow clearing options for roads. It said it will be using a combination of salt, sand and plowing to keep them clear.
Grant said that in this particular snowfall event that the city wouldn’t have used calcium chloride even if it was still an option, because of the freezing rain that came before the snow.
The ban will remain in effect until the city declares it over.
People who park on a bus route during a ban will receive a $100 ticket and may be towed.
The city must give at least eight hours notice when it declares a ban.
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