City talks snow removal after first flurries of the season

Now that Prince George has seen its first skiff of snow of the season, the City wants people to know what snow removal will look like this year.

Once we see regular showers of the white stuff, snow and ice operations will be running 24/7.

Director of Public Works Gina Layte Liston says the goal is to have the City cleared within five days of a snow event.

“The goal for priorities ones and twos is to be cleared within the first 48 hours, and the priority threes is once those 48 hours are up for the ones and twos, they will be cleared 72 hours after.”

Priority One routes include main roads, the downtown business core, main hills, the hospital, and civic facilities.

Bus routes off of main roads make up Priority Two, while residential areas and remaining civic lots, trails and pathways are the Third Priority.

While the City tries to clear driveways to the best of its ability, Layte Liston says clearing is more difficult when residents don’t have a sidewalk, curb, or gutter.

“In areas that have ditches, they’ll have a truck plow that will come through on that first sweep. So there will be areas where there may be some snow left in a driveway.”

Residents are really only in charge of shovelling their own driveways, while business owners are expected to take care of their sidewalk space through a downtown bylaw.

An interactive map with detailed information about priority routes is also available on the City’s website.

“You can go into that map, click on any of the roads within the City, and it’ll tell you whether it’s a Priority One, Two, or three, and the length of time clearing needs to be done in” adds Layte Liston. “But it’ll also tell you the parking restrictions during snow removal.”

She added that priority routes are often cleared overnight so traffic isn’t obstructed.

Mixes of snow and rain are predicted in the early morning through the week, with full-on snow expected around November 8.