Snow clearing underway

The office has been flooded past week-and-a-half or so with notes about snow clearing. While the City is reluctant to clear when it's not absoutely required - it is easily the most expensive component of dealing with snow on our roads and paths - the time had clearly come. A week ago, I spent an hour and a half or so measuring the snowbanks in north Hintonburg, which has particularly narrow streets. Most were well below the minimum of 5m (16 1/2') of space between banks.

I'm pleased that snow clearing has begun in the ward. I've had reports of several streets in West Wellington done, and Hintonburg is now underway. Staff have been very responsive to my request for a mechanism to keep residents abreast of clearing progress. For the time being, staff are sending me maps as below, and are working on some refinements.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank some of our key staff in charge of snow operations for some additional responsiveness this week to help keep the Somerset Street bridge open to cyclists. While the bike lanes on the bridge are not on the winter maintenance schedule, they've been able to get out to clear some additional width. A winter cyclist myself, it's greatly appreciated.

Here's the look-ahead for tonight, Sunday.

And here's the Monday preview: