What to know when it snows in Airdrie

When it comes to ice and snow management, most of us are uninformed about the way things are done in our city and why. If we knew how our city crew operated, the precautionary methods that were taken and their timeline during snowstorms, it may help us plan ahead come next snowstorm. It’s important to know your snow so that we can all help keep our city in good condition. We’re here today to answer some of the questions you may have about the way our roads are taken care of here in Airdrie.

How many roads does the City of Airdrie maintain?

With the goal of providing the highest quality service at the lowest possible cost, the Airdrie Roads Department maintains 700 lane kilometres within city limits. This requires a lot of manpower regardless of the season, but this means that staff are working 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the winter months to ensure the safety of all our citizens. They may not be able to stop the snow from falling, but they sure can help deal with it once it starts to accumulate.

How does the City decide when to start plowing the roads?

Once five centimetres of snow has accumulated on the ground, or the snow has started to drift, the road crew hit the streets. Before a storm hits, the crew applies anti-icing products to help the roads from becoming dangerous once it does snow (reducing the chance ice will form), as well as plow and sand the roads after it snows to create a controlled surface. Certain problem areas are focused on more after it snows, like intersections, playgrounds, hills and corners to ensure that the road crew is doing everything possible to keep our drivers safe.

After a big snowstorm, which roads get plowed first?

The roads in Airdrie are plowed based on priority. The priority of a road is determined by the volume of traffic it sees, with the higher volume streets getting maintained first due to the greater public good. Here is a list of how Airdrie roads have been prioritized:

Priority 1: Arterial roads. Generally multi-lane roads, such as:

• Main Street
• 8 Street
• East Lake Boulevard
• Yankee Valley Boulevard
• School zones on school days

Priority 2: Collector roads. Main feeder roads into residential communities, such as:

• Meadowbrook Drive
• Kings Heights Boulevard
• Reunion Gateway

Priority 3: Rural roads, such as:

• Township Road 264
• Range Road 291
• Township Road 274

Priority 4: City facilities. City-owned parking lots, such as:

• Fire Halls
• Arenas
• Town and Country Centre
• Parks

Priority 5: Residential roads

• Plowing occurs when the road is rendered impassable or in extenuating circumstances.
• Snow is plowed to boulevards or to the side of the road.
• Residents are responsible for clearing windrows left by equipment in front of their driveway entrances.
• Residents are not permitted to place the snow removed from sidewalks and driveways onto the roadway or on any public space.

Please visit Airdrie.ca for more information on snow and ice removal.