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Kelowna snow plows in action

Removal crews are off and clearing the snow that fell last night
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City of Kelowna snow removal crews are off and running to clear up the snow that fell overnight.

Residents can help ensure that snow is cleared quickly and effectively by moving vehicles off the road before plows arrive.

“Residents are asked to be patient as crews will focus on maintaining the service levels of major routes when significant snow falls before attending to local roads in neighbourhoods,” said Stephen Bryans, roadway operations supervisor.

“Residents are encouraged to move their vehicles off the road to help plows clear the snow from curb to curb safely and quickly. Also, with the temperatures hovering around 0ºC, residents can expect black ice to form over the next few days due to the freeze-thaw cycle. While crews will be out sanding and de-icing, motorists should be mindful of vehicle speeds and take extra care on sidewalks.”

The city clears snow and de-ices municipal roads based on their priority status. Priority one includes high-traffic roads such as Gordon Drive. Priority two includes collector roads such as Richter Street, bus routes, school zones, town centers and emergency vehicle stations. Priority three includes local roads within neighbourhoods. Highway 97 (Harvey Avenue) and Highway 33 are maintained by the Provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Residents can check out the online map to find out a road’s priority status at kelowna.ca/snow

RELATED: Environment Canada issues a snowfall warning

No City of Kelowna snow event advisory has been issued. In the case of a snow event advisory, a temporary parking ban will come into effect in snow routes areas including Wilden, the Ponds, Magic Estates, Dilworth Mountain, Academy Way, Black Mountain and Kirschner Mountain. For more information on snow routes and to check if a snow event advisory is in effect at any given time, visit kelowna.ca/snowroutes. Residents can also sign-up for snow route news through the City’s e-subscribe channel and receive notices via email.

All multi-use transportation corridors such as the Okanagan Rail Trail, Abbot Street recreation corridor and the Ethel Street multi-use corridor have the same priority as city sidewalks, where the city is responsible for clearing. Bike lanes attached to roadways are not cleared and are used to store accumulated snow cleared from roads.

Residents and business owners are reminded that they are responsible for clearing the snow off sidewalks adjacent to their property. Some residents find snow clearing a difficult task, particularly seniors and those with an injury or mobility challenges. The city encourages residents to help out their neighbours by becoming a Snow Angel.

For details about the Snow Angel program and for more information about snow removal and priority routes visit kelowna.ca/snow.

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