Winter storm crews able to clear snow at Windsor

City of Windsor officials are reassuring residents a plan is in place to deal with the predicted winter snowstorm.

Environment Canada is calling for up to 20 centimeters of snow overnight Friday and into Saturday. Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent are under a winter storm warning. The city has a plan for road clearing with city crews and contractors.

Clearing of Streets

City staff monitor weather forecasts and begin salting, when required, to help ensure roads remain as safe as possible. Plowing starts once the snowfall accumulation reaches five cm, and an average route takes from three to six hours to complete once the snow has stopped falling, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. Once the main roads are clear, and only if more than 10 centimeters of snow have fallen, trucks will then move into residential areas.

Snow plows

Motorists are asked to be patient when traveling behind a plow and give operators plenty of room. Plows typically operate at up to 40 kilometers per hour. Following too close to a snowplow can lead to poor visibility, and vehicles risk being hit by thrown snow, salt or rocks.

Sidewalks and Driveways

Residents and property owners are reminded that clearing of sidewalks abutting their property is their responsibility. Please be sure to remove snow completely from your sidewalk to ensure that people with mobility issues are able to pass through freely.

Under the Highway Traffic Act and City of Windsor by-laws, it is prohibited to shovel snow back onto the street while clearing sidewalks and driveways, as this creates unsafe road conditions for motorists. All sidewalks in commercial areas are to be cleared within four hours after the snowfall ends and within twelve hours in residential areas.

To learn more, visit the Snow Removal page or contact 311.

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