Bonnyville has put in lots of effort in removing snow for the main roads, but there is still more work to be done.
Bonnie Van Hollen, Director of Operations for Bonnyville Public Works & Utilities says the process of snow removal is an ongoing process all winter.
“If you do not see them out on the main streets anymore because it is all done, they are out there somewhere in residential areas or where ever it might be trying to get to the lower priority things plowed like backroads.”
Van Hollen says Bonnyville is actually in the middle of revamping its snow removal policy.
She says not much will change and it will be very similar with primary snow routes staying the same.
The primary roads that get cleared first are roads that let Emergency services do their jobs. Routes that give the city access to hospitals, fire halls, ambulances, RCMP, and major artery roads are always the first to be cleared.
“We have to have emergency service access for sure.”
Van Hollen says a lot of people get confused when they see Municipal facilities and access rountes get done around the same time if not before the primary roads.
“People see those roads being done first before the main roads but it’s a different department. Parks manages those routes and they need to be done.”
Secondary roads like collector roads and roads that join onto the main arteries are cleaned next.
The third priority includes residential streets.
Van Hollen says the city knows some streets get bad because of drifting and will adjust their priority accordingly.
“Sometimes they will jump the queue because we know they will drift up and we have to make them passible at least.”
Alleys are the last thing to get cleared of snow.
Bonnyville has hired some contractors to speed up the process of removing the snow from our streets.
Van Hollen is planning to bring the new snow removal policy to the council and have it approved. The new policy will have maps to show exactly where the high-priority areas are.