Summary of Information
Snow Clearing - Policy No. PW-16
The District of Tumbler Ridge has adopted a multi-tiered winter snow and ice control approach to provide residents and businesses with a consistent, priority based snow clearing operations of all roads, sidewalks and parking lots.
Priority Classifications
- High Priority Roads - Main Arteries: Mackenzie, Willow, Monkman, Northgate, Southgate and Downtown.
- Medium Priority Roads - Collectors: Bergeron, Spieker, Murray, Pioneer, Transfer Station and Ridge Road.
- Low Priority Roads - Residential: all residential streets, Heavy Industrial Park, Airport, Saddle Club, Cemetery and Golf Course roads, and parking lots.
- Willow Drive Sidewalks - will be cleared and sanded prior to 8:00 am on school days. All other sidewalks will follow the same priorities as the roads.
Snow clearing is conducted on a priority basis and will begin between 5 and 8 cm of snow accumulation.
Low priority snow clearing may take 24 to 72 hours to complete depending on the snow event.
During Snow Events
Initial snow plowed will be moved to street curbs and bermed along the road.
During initial snow clearing, snow will be plowed into driveway accesses. Due to the nature of these operations this is unavoidable. Once high priorities have been satisfied, the grader with a gate will clear this snow in residential areas.
Winter snow accumulations along road sides will be stored on Right of Ways located on residential frontage. Please ensure that no items that could be damaged are placed within the RoW which is approximately 8 feet from the edge of the curb.
Roads will be kept as close to pavement as possible, which is dependent on weather and accumulations.
Snow storage piles will be removed to snow dumps on a regular basis when capacity has been reached. This will be based on crew and equipment availability and weather conditions.
Scheduled Snow Removal
- Snow clearing of roadside berms will commence with notice when lanes and/or sidewalks are being impeded by roadside berms.
- Snow berm removal will be scheduled on non-garbage pickup days, and will last 3-5 days per area (upper, lower and middle benches).
- Notification signs will be put on residential area entrances 24 hours in advance of snow berm removal.
- Please remove vehicles from the curb during scheduled clearings. Non-compliant vehicles are subject to towing.
- The scheduling of snow clearing during afterhours and weekends will only be done when icy conditions are evident and/or snow depths exceed 5 cm. These operations will be limited to high and medium priority areas.
- Low priority snow clearing will take place during normal working hours, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise directed.
Snow Windrow Removal Application
Normal municipal snow plowing procedures do not include clearing of driveway entrances.
Eligible seniors and physically disabled persons may apply at Town Hall to have the District remove snow windrows in front of driveway following priority snow clearing operations. These operations could take between 2 to 4 days during regular working hours.
Major snow events may delay this service.
Snow Windrow Removal Application here. Please submit your form to info@dtr.ca.
FAQs - Snow Removal
Why are snow windrows left in driveways?
Due to the operational process, there will be berms left along the sides of the roads especially during initial snow clearing operations. The grader, which can remove snow berms, is limited to its availability by different factors such as the snow event, parked vehicles, and the time it takes to do each street.
When will the snow windrows in driveways be cleared for people on the assistance list?
Eligible residents will have the windrows removed within a reasonable amount of time and is dependent on operations and availability of equipment during priority times. Windrow removal will take place on normal working hours, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
How were the priorities levels determined?
Priority levels of clearing are determined by council and are based on traffic safety and access for emergency services. They ensure that the roads that have the most amount of traffic and have hazards such as hills, curves and pedestrian activity, remain a higher priority.
Will sidewalks be cleared by the District?
Although Bylaw 627 states “34.1 Owners and occupiers of real property shall remove snow, ice or rubbish from the sidewalks bordering on the real property within 24 hours of the accumulation ....”, the District will continue to clear sidewalks to the best of their ability. This operation will leave windrows in driveways and it’s the responsibility of the property owner to clear windrows from their driveway.