The City of Prince George will be armed with the ability to issue a heavy snowfall declaration this winter.
Under a revamped policy approved by city council in September, it can be issued whenever the accumulation reaches 20 centimetres in a 24-hour period and adds another day to the time limits set out under the snow and ice control policy for clearing city streets.
Moreover, for each additional eight centimetres that falls over that time, another 24 hours of clearing time can be added.
It also allows snow clearing crews to start work on the top-priority routes in the city's downtown at 11 p.m., an hour earlier than usual.
Time limits for clearing routes following a smaller snowfall will remain the same - 48 hours for priority one and two routes once 7.5 cm has fallen and 72 hours after completion of priority ones and twos for the remainder of the city once 12 cm has fallen. The maximum amount of compact snow will remain at 2.5 cm.
Priority one roads include main arterial roads and adjacent sidewalks, downtown streets, priority hills, the hospital area, and civic facility entrances. Those routes are cleared first - often overnight - to reduce the interference with higher daytime traffic volumes.
Priority two roads include bus routes, collector roads, and adjacent sidewalks that are not main arterial roads, and commercial and industrial roads.
Residential roads are priority three with a focus on clearing those roads prior to their respective garbage collection days.
Motorists are also reminded that parking restrictions are in effect from October 15 to April 15 each year to help with snow operations.
Visit www.princegeorge.ca/snow for full details and to subscribe to the "Roads" category on the City News and Notices page to receive email updates about city snow clearing activities.
