The Corporation of The City of London
December 5, 2010
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winter Road Maintenance Crews at the Ready

Winter road maintenance crews have been watching the current weather system and are ready to hit the streets. Salt trucks are already out on the main streets and the plows are ready to go. The City’s complete fleet of snow removal vehicles includes 62 plows, 25 salter/sander trucks and 33 sidewalk units.

According to weather reports, the snow squalls are expected to become particularly intense tonight and into Monday. Local snowfall amounts of 20 to 30 cm every 12 hours may be possible with total accumulations in excess of 60 cm possible by Wednesday morning. We are also expecting winds of 30 to 50 km/h will cause substantial blowing and drifting with visibilities reduced to near zero at times.

Under the City’s winter road maintenance plan, City and contracted crews will clear the main routes and bus routes first and then move to the back streets and cul-de-sacs. With the significant amount of snow expected, it is likely that we will be plowing the main routes and bus routes more than once if not several times before we get to the back streets. This is the first major snowfall and heavy snow on the back streets will develop while we are clearing the main routes and bus routes. Sidewalk plows will be also be out in force, once the snow depth is greater than eight centimeters.

In anticipation of snow banks being created by street plows, Londoners are asked to assist by ensuring that any remaining bags of leaves in the south half of the city are placed where they will not be buried. Please also ensure that your garbage bags, garbage containers and blue boxes will not be buried under snow banks when you place them at the curb for Monday collection in B Zone communities such as Whitehills, Sherwood Forest, Cherryhill, Masonville, and Stoneybrook Acres.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination as you head out tomorrow morning because that is the when we'll see a significant amount of snow on the back streets and some sidewalks. Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on snow clearing.  The City also urges residents to be weather aware! Take steps to keep you and your family safe when there is a chance that severe weather will strike.