Snow is cleared from edge to edge (or curb to curb) to create bare pavement. This may include piling snow into windrows along the road, trail, or sidewalk. Windrows are removed after all high-priority areas are finished, except where leaving them would make it unsafe for drivers or pedestrians.
Snow Removal
The City maintains main roads, residential roads, and city-owned sidewalks throughout the winter. When it snows, the City has a plan to efficiently clear roadways and walkways.
The City has three main methods of moving snow on roads, which are:
- Snow Clearing. Moving snow to the side or middle of roads, walkways, or lanes either manually or using a machine.
- Snow Plowing. Using a machine to push snow to the side or middle of roads, walkways, or lanes.
- Snow Removal. Taking snow away from roads, walkways, or lanes, which includes plowing, stacking, and windrowing snow and ice in preparation for removal to a snow storage site.
Snow and Ice Guidelines
Public Works monitors roads and sidewalks throughout the day and adjusts resources as needed to keep high-priority areas clear. Snow plowing and snow removal follow set priorities, starting with main routes before moving to residential streets. Walkway clearing happens at the same time as road clearing, based on priority routes.
Lower-priority areas are usually cleared only after higher-priority routes are finished. If needed, crews may return to high-priority locations before completing lower-priority ones to make sure roads, trails, and walkways stay safe. Once high-priority work is done, crews resume where they left off. Roadways with the highest volume of traffic, such as 50 Street and school zones, are set as a higher priority than those that see lower volumes of traffic, such as residential areas.
Ice control is provided during snow, frost, freezing rain, or other slippery conditions. Crews focus first on high-traffic and hazardous areas. Service times are targets and may change based on weather and conditions. Work can start earlier than planned if needed, based on weather forecasts.
Priority Tiggers for Snow Plowing and Ice Control
Priority Triggers for Snow Removal
Snow and Ice Control Programs and Activities
Roadway or Trail and Sidewalk Snow Plowing
Snow plowing is done to keep roads, trails, and sidewalks safe for drivers and pedestrians. If drifting snow is the problem, crews will only plow the areas affected by the drift.
Ice control means spreading sand, salt, or rock chips on roads, sidewalks, or lanes to make them less slippery. This helps give vehicles and people better traction so everyone can travel safely.
Ice control happens at the same time as snow plowing and removal whenever needed. If roads, trails, or sidewalks become very slippery, crews may apply ice control more than once. These decisions are made by Public Works employees, Protective Services, or in response to reports from the public.
Trail and Sidewalk Snow Plowing and Ice Control
City sidewalks and trails are cleared within 48 hours whenever possible. Snow is usually not removed after clearing if there’s enough space to store it safely.
One full cycle of snow removal on local roads, which are the streets where homes typically front, is completed each winter, starting only after higher-priority routes are safe and clear. In winters with heavy snowfall, extra cycles may be scheduled.
Local roadway clearing is done curb to curb and down to bare pavement, with all snow hauled away. Snow removal begins only when the snowpack reaches at least 15 cm.
Snow Removal FAQs
What kind of snow clearing resources does the City have?
The City’s snow equipment fleet includes:
- Two graders
- Four plow trucks (two with sanding capabilities)
- Three large snowblowers
- Three loaders
- Three trackless units (equipped with blowers, sweepers, and plows)
- One skid steer
- One utility task vehicle with sanding capabilities
- Numerous walk-behind sweepers and snow blowers
How much snow clearing and maintenance does the City do?
The City of Wetaskiwin maintains 92 kilometers of roadway and clears 18 parking lots covering about 40,000 square metres. Each winter, City trucks haul away roughly 20,000 cubic metres of snow. To keep roads safe, crews spread nearly 2,000 tonnes of sand, along with 60 tonnes of rock chips for residential ice control and 200 tonnes of road salt.
When does residential snow clearing begin?
All snow plowing and removal is done on an as needed basis. Residential snow removal is normally done once per winter season after all other priority roads are cleared and once the snowpack has reached a minimum of 15 cm.
Does the City salt or sand its roadways?
Wetaskiwin uses sand on its roadways to help provide traction to both vehicles and pedestrians. Sand is preferrable to salt as it is less corrosive on vehicles and more environmentally friendly to freshwater ecosystems, soil, vegetation, and wildlife.
How do I know when snow removal is happening?
The City will advertize at least 24 hours prior to snow removal. Crews from Public Works will place wedgeboards throughout the targeted area. The City’s website and social media channels will share maps of snow removal routes.
What time does snow removal start?
Snow removal begins at 7 a.m. unless otherwise specified.
Where does all the snow go after removal?
The City has one snow storage dump site, east of the Wetaskiwin Regional Fire Training Facility.
Contact Us
Public Works
Operations Facility
5520 50 Street
Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Phone: 780.361.4436
Email: publicworks@wetaskiwin.ca
Hours
Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.