Show All Answers

1. WHERE/WHEN DO THE PLOWS START?

After snow exceeding 10 cm STOPS, then the plows start, and the roads are opened within 72 hours of the last snow fall as per Gravel Road Maintenance Requirements Policy. Grader operators alternate their starting location, which means some roads are cleared first this time, and others next time.

2. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO CLEAR THE ROADS AFTER A SNOWSTORM?

This varies. If there is a lot of snow, or if the snow is heavy and moist, or if there is a strong wind, it can take longer to move the snow and fight drifts – and can take several days to complete road clearing.

Depending on road conditions, it can take up to 72 hours for a grader to complete its entire beat after it stops snowing as per Gravel Road Maintenance Requirements Policy.  However, strong winds can close a road before the 72 hours have lapsed. 

Timing can be severely affected by the amount of snow, temperature, continuing bad weather such as wind causing drifts or by poor visibility.

3. WILL THE COUNTY SEND A PLOW TO YOUR ROAD IF YOU CALL TO ASK?

The answer is – no. The priority is to clear the County’s road network as efficiently and quickly as possible, followed by general cleanup.

4. WHAT IF I NEED TO GET TO TOWN AND THE ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE?

If you have a medical condition or if you have a job where you are required to get to town every day, please plan for unexpected bad weather. All roads can become impassable with extreme weather and it is important to have food and supplies to last for several days during a bad storm.

Rural residents should also have an emergency plan in place as any road can become impassable in extreme weather. It is important to have enough food, supplies and medications on hand to last for several days should you be snowed in. Should travel be required – for work or medical reasons – it is up to residents to make sure you have the right vehicle, like a 4x4, that will get you to where you need to go – or have a family member or neighbor lined up that does.

5. ARE BUS ROUTES PLOWED FIRST?

No, because bus routes routinely change with movement of families and where school age children live. School buses travel on many miles of roads and it is impossible to assign a priority to one road over another. Bus routes are not set as a priority as the County considers every road equally important.