Be in the Know About Snow: 2016-17 Winter Road Maintenance

In a winter city like Saskatoon, a snow storm can happen any day, any time. When it snows, City crews sand, salt and plow high-traffic roads and priority streets to keep drivers moving.

“Our team is ready to hit the streets to keep roads clear this winter,” says new Director of Roadways, Brandon Harris. “Winter preparation is a year-round operation that we continue to build on to provide better winter roads for residents and visitors.”

Building on last year’s successes, several improvements have been made to the 2016-17 Snow & Ice Plan to ensure better winter roads for Saskatoon drivers.

“New this year, the City is outfitting all of its high-speed winter maintenance equipment with flashing blue and amber lights to be consistent with highway operations and other municipalities across the country,” says Harris. “Standard warning signals are a critical element of a safe operation, as driver confusion can result in unexpected or dangerous reactions.”

Some improvements that will impact residents and drivers include the type of salt used, broader use of pre-wetting for the application of sand and an updated Priority Street Network for snow grading.

Coarse Salt
This winter, roadway crews are piloting the use of a coarser salt for ice prevention and treatment. Coarse salt has been found to be more effective and less susceptible to blowing off the road because it can be ‘ground’ into ice. In addition, it adds friction to slippery road surfaces.  Innovative salt spreading techniques are also being tested to improve performance and reduce salt usage which will save money and decrease environmental impacts.

More Pre-Wetting
The City will also continue to use a technique known as pre-wetting, where a salt brine or specialty chemical is sprayed on sand before it is applied to high-traffic streets such as Circle Drive. Wet, heavy sand sticks much more effectively to the road in extreme cold conditions, providing increased traction on high-speed roadways. The program will operate with twelve sanders, an increase from four last winter.

Updated Priority Streets
The City’s Priority Street Network is updated to reflect changing traffic patterns and revised transit routes. Following a major snowfall, plowing and grading occurs in order of priority, beginning with high-traffic streets such as Circle Drive. Some streets will have snow grading that didn’t in previous years, while a few streets will be re-ordered as part of the snow event response. Priority streets are identified on the City’s Snow Grading Interactive Map which will be updated annually moving forward.

Other elements of the Winter Road Maintenance plan include:

• GPS tracking software pilot project to track the location of the sanders, where they have sanded and how much sand they have used.
• The 18-vehicle snow train that may be activated after a snow event to remove collected snow along the edges of Circle Drive, bridges and overpasses.
• Frequent removal of snow windrows (snow piled along the road during grading) from school zones and more clearly defined and expanded removal zones around schools.
• Snow grading and removal will occur as required along narrow, congested streets where snow windrows are not a practical option.
• Adjustments in the way the City uses private contractors for snow grading during and after a snow event, to maximize value and efficiencies.
• City-wide neighbourhood rut blitz may be initiated later in the season, when the snow pack reaches a minimum of 15 centimetres to prevent severe rutting.

Green Circle and Blue Square snow routes will once again be in effect. If an extreme snow fall occurs, a temporary Snow Route Parking Ban may be declared for city-wide snow grading. Residents are urged to find out which streets are along a Green Circle or Blue Square snow route on the City’s Snow Grading Interactive Map.

“City crews will be out there all winter, day and night,” says Harris. “Please watch for flashing lights that signal winter maintenance equipment is ahead and slow down for your safety and the safety of everyone around you.”

Be in the Know About Snow! Find out what happens in Saskatoon when it snows and how you can be prepared at saskatoon.ca/snow or download the Be in the Know About Snow poster (PDF).