Crews continue response to winter storm: focus on maintaining mobility
The City is actively responding to the ongoing winter storm, after Saskatoon received freezing rain overnight, leaving streets and sidewalks ice-covered under the continued snowfall.
Saskatoon is under a Winter Storm Warning from Environment and Climate Change Canada with forecasted snowfall of up to 35 cm and wind gusts of up to 80 km/hr. Road conditions and visibility are expected to worsen throughout the day.
Snow Clearing
Overnight, crews were spreading sand and salt, plowing Circle Drive and grading snow on the City’s highest traffic streets. High winds are making it challenging to fight ice formation.
“We’re putting everything we have into this storm today, tonight, tomorrow, and into the coming days,” says Goran Saric, Director of Roadways, Fleet and Support. “We’re staying focused on our priority road system. Once the highest priority streets are cleared, we’ll move through the rest of the system, at times returning to the highest priority roads multiple times to maintain mobility.”
Today’s focus includes sanding and salting ice-covered streets, intersections and bridge decks and minimizing snow accumulation on freeways, expressways and arterials by plowing and grading snow. Equipment today includes 27 graders, 18 sanders, 8 high-speed plows and 5 sidewalk plows.
Residents should avoid unnecessary travel on Sunday as freezing rain, continued snow accumulation, and high winds will lead to dangerous driving conditions.
If travel is necessary, adjust for driving conditions and watch for snow removal crews equipped with blue and amber flashing lights. Stay a safe distance behind and be prepared to stop quickly. Some traffic signs are covered with snow, so drivers should practice extra caution at intersections.
More information on the City’s snow clearing efforts can be found at saskatoon.ca/snow
Civic Election, Monday November 9th
Residents are encouraged to get out and vote tomorrow in the Civic Election if they haven’t already. Caution is advised when walking or driving throughout the city. If polling stations are affected by snowfall to the point of being inaccessible or if streets are impassible, crews will respond appropriately.
Residents are encouraged to keep their sidewalks clear, as much as possible, to provide safe access for those who may be walking to polling stations. Please do not push snow out onto the street when clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways, as this can clog up streets with snow and create accessibility issues.
Voting locations can be found here.
Emergency Preparedness
The City would like to once again remind residents of some important emergency preparedness tips to help ensure their safety during the storm.
- Have an inventory of everything that the members and pets in your household would need for several days, including foods and medications.
- Charge your phones, tablets, and portable battery packs; and equip yourself with a supply of batteries for radios and other battery-operated devices.
- Reach out to people who may require support:
- More than 300 people in Saskatoon are self-isolating due to COVID-19.
- Consider whether any of your neighbours might need assistance, including those that are seniors or have disabilities.
- If travel is necessary:
- Equip yourself with an emergency kit containing warm clothes, blankets, candles, and snacks.
- Be sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you arrive.
- Plan for delays in your commute to work on Monday and for getting children to school.
- Activate the GPS locator app on your smartphone (‘Find My’ on iPhone and ‘Find My Device’ on Android) to allow assigned contacts to track you.
- A more detailed list of emergency preparedness tips can be found at saskatoon.ca/snowstorm2020
Residents are encouraged to subscribe to NotifyNow for updates on public safety messages.
For timely updates on snow and ice alerts visit saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and follow us at twitter.com/YXEServiceAlert.