A seasonal parking ban took effect in Edmonton at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. It’s the second one in a month that has seen both bitter cold and heavy snowfall, after a relatively mild December.
On Monday, Edmonton emerged from the icy grip Mother Nature held on Alberta for over a week, so city crews are plowing and scraping off not just the snowpack that remained on roads during the deep freeze, but also the fresh snow that fell unexpectedly on Wednesday.
Environment Canada said a weather system stalled over the city in the morning, dumping about two to three times more snow than the five centimetres that was expected.
The city said on Wednesday it was in a good situation and well-prepared to deal with the snow. Graders and sanders are working 24/7 to get roads cleared.
The city was hoping to lift the parking ban by the end of the week, however it could be extended in light of Wednesday’s snowfall.
“With the warmer temperatures that allow for more efficient removal of the snowpack, we’ll be using all available equipment to help clear the arterial and collector roads to a safer driving surface,” Andrew Grant with the city’s parks and roads services said.
Throughout last week’s deep freeze, the city said crews applied sand around the clock to improve traction. With warmer temperatures this week, the city said crews will be able to more effectively clear snow accumulation from roads, bike lanes, paths and sidewalks.
READ MORE: Alberta bursts out of extreme cold warning, temperatures set to rise above 0 C
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When the latest parking ban, drivers are not allowed to park on routes marked with “seasonal parking ban” signs.
Drivers are being warned that the ban will remain in effect 24-hours a day until the city declares it is over, even if plows have already cleared their streets.
The city said this seasonal parking ban is not the residential parking ban pilot in Gold Bar and Silver Berry. Residents in those communities are not required to move their vehicles unless they live on a seasonal parking ban route.
READ MORE: City of Edmonton to try out odd/even parking restrictions for snow clearing
A parking ban was in effect earlier this month as crews tried to get a handle on snowfall that came just ahead of the city’s latest cold snap.
East of Edmonton, a seasonal parking ban is also set to take effect in Sherwood Park. That ban will be in place as of 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
For details on the Sherwood Park parking ban, click here.
Watch below: Video from Jan. 8, 2020 about a seasonal parking ban in Edmonton.
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