City begins Priority Street grading: Snowfall exceeds 5 centimetres

Today’s snowfall has finished, and the total snow accumulation has exceeded 5 centimetres. This means contractor crews will now join City snow maintenance equipment across the road network.

Crews will move directly into grading Priority Streets: 8 plows and 26 graders are clearing these roads while 20 sanding trucks continue treating slippery sections to support safer travel.

The Snow Event response follows the Priority Street system:

• Priority 1 – Freeways and major arterials, which will be graded within 12 hours following the end of the snowfall. This includes Circle Drive and streets with three or more lanes in each direction, such as Idylwyld Drive, 22nd Street, and College Drive.
• Priority 2 – Arterials with double-lanes and bus routes, which will be graded within 48 hours following the snowfall. This includes double lane streets such as Clarence Avenue, Confederation Drive and Millar Avenue.
• Priority 3 – Collector streets, remaining Business Improvement District streets and school zones, which will be graded within 72 hours following the snowfall. These streets take you through your neighbourhood like Louise Avenue, Howell Avenue and Emmeline Road.

4 sidewalk plows are clearing city facility sidewalks, Meewasin Trail, pathways along freeways and arterials and bridge/overpass walkways which will be cleared within 48 hours.

Crews will remain active until all Priority streets have been graded. If additional snowfall occurs during the response, operators may need to return to Priority 1 streets to keep major routes passable before resuming work on Priority 2 and 3 streets. This makes sure emergency access and citywide mobility remain a top priority.

Residents are reminded to watch for blue and amber flashing lights and to give road maintenance equipment the space needed to operate safely.

Residents can track progress through the Priority Street Snow Grading Map. More information, including the City’s level of service, can be found at saskatoon.ca/snow. Stay in the know by checking the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/SnowReport.