County Snow Removal Efforts Continue During Above Average Snowfall

County Snow Removal Efforts Continue During Above Average Snowfall

The County of Grande Prairie is continuing snow removal efforts as the area has received above normal precipitation this winter. According to Environment Canada, during the month of December, precipitation in Grande Prairie was 418 per cent above the 30-year average making it the fourth wettest December on record. 

With the recent January snowfall, our crews continued to work on clearing, salting, and sanding the high-volume arterial roads first. Currently, all available County equipment and crews are continuing work on rural roads, hamlets and subdivisions. Snow removal is anticipated to be caught up by the end of the week, without added snow or significant wind and drifting. 

Here are a few things to note about snow removal:

• The County clears and maintains 3,700 km of roads across the County. Snow conditions can vary greatly across the County.
• The County has its own dedicated crews and fleet of equipment for snow removal including 21 graders, eight plow trucks, one tractor, and three loaders.
• After a significant snowfall, plow trucks focus first on high-volume and high-speed roads (also known as arterial or hard-surfaced roads). During this time, graders work clearing gravel roads followed by hamlets and rural subdivisions.
• The County does not clear or maintain any numbered provincial highways including Highway 2, Highway 40, Highway 43, or Highway 672. This includes the merge lanes and crossovers on any provincial highway. To report issues with a provincial highway, contact the Regional Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors office at 780-624-6280 or Ledcor at 1-866-453-3267.
• Senior snow clearing is a complimentary program that will begin once all other roads have been cleared.

Environment Canada also reported that the Grande Prairie Airport received 30.8 cm of snow between Jan. 1-4, with areas in the west County receiving more than 30 cm.

“Given the record snowfall, safety remains our top priority as crews continue their efforts to clear and maintain our large road network as quickly as possible,” says Ryan Konowalyk, General Manager, Transportation and Utilities. “Residents can help support our work by moving vehicles during temporary parking bans.

“Finally, a reminder that it is illegal to push snow and ice onto or across roadways as it is hazardous for drivers and difficult for plows to remove. Snow can only be pushed or shoveled onto your own property.”

Rural hamlet and subdivision residents are asked to help the efficiency of snow removal by moving vehicles when temporary parking bans are in place. When vehicles obstruct snow removal operations, our crews are unable to conduct essential winter maintenance, comprising safety, visibility, and access for all residents. Failure to move a vehicle when restrictions are in place may result in a violation ticket (up to $200) and their vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense. 

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Media Contact: 
Ryan Konowalyk
General Manager, Transportation and Utilities
780-532-7393