With snow expected to continue to fall in Calgary through much of Tuesday, city crews are out clearing streets and applying material to help with traction.
Tuesday’s forecast had two to four centimetres of snow, on top of the six centimetres that fell the day before, making getting around the city a challenge.
“We anticipate the snowfall is actually going to continue through Tuesday when that snowfall finally ends, that will activate our snow clock and we will begin working through our council-approved snow priority list – that’s basically when we start working through the roads to complete them,” Chris McGeachy with the City of Calgary’s roads department said.
Calgary’s priority snow plan addresses the city’s busiest roads first, within the first 18 hours of plowing and clearing efforts.
Within 24 hours of snowfall ending, the city also clears prioritized pathways, sidewalks bordering city-owned properties, pedestrian and vehicle bridges, and bus stops.
By the time 36 hours passes, city crews plow driving lanes of major community and transit routes.
Gravel is also applied to streets and intersections to help with vehicle traction.
CPS Acting Sgt. Steve Campbell said police had responded to dozens of crashes on Tuesday.
“That’s a combination of weather and speed,” Campbell said. “People need to slow down with these roads the way they are. Understand that the speed limit may say a certain speed, but (drivers) have to drive with the road conditions.
“With the extreme temperatures being minus 20, minus 25, make the roads very slippery. The material they’re putting on the roads is not taking any effect.”
According to Global Calgary meteorologist Tiffany Lizee, warmer weather is on the way. Temperatures are expected to go from an overnight low of minus 20 C on Tuesday to 0 C by midday Wednesday.
“Tomorrow we’re going to see a real quick warm up especially throughout those morning hours, thanks to westerly flows,” Lizee said. “A chinook is going to blow in.”
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