As we reach the end of a very long year, we are also gearing up for what could potentially be a long and snowy winter. While this isn’t new to Edmontonians, we always need to be prepared.
In recent years, through public engagement and consultations, Edmontonians have voiced their preference for bare pavement on our roadways and advocated for improvements to the residential blading program. As many of you will know, we stopped using calcium chloride on our major roadway last year, and it is incumbent on the City to continue to refine Snow and Ice control practices in order to better serve Edmontonians.
This year, the City of Edmonton will implement a two-phased, citywide parking ban. We anticipate this strategy will help us do curb-to-curb blading much more quickly and effectively than before, especially on the residential roadways that I continually hear about. However, this approach will only be successful if everyone does their part. There is going to be a learning curve for the first little while, but with everyone’s cooperation we should be able to clear our roads faster and better than before.
During the first phase of the parking ban, no parking will be allowed on arterial roads, roads within Business Improvement Areas, and collector roads and bus routes. Once these roads are cleared, phase two will begin. Phase two will prohibit parking on all residential and industrial roads, meaning residents might need to plan for alternative off-street parking arrangements. This sounds daunting, but it enables crews to move quickly so that once the road is cleared, on-street parking will be available once again.
It may take a few tries for all of us to fully familiarize ourselves with these new measures, but the City is committed to working with residents throughout the winter season through education, encouraging people to make alternative parking arrangements and monitoring compliance. I’m confident if we continue to work together, we can ensure our roadways remain safe for the majority of the winter season.
You can find more detailed information on all of this here, as well as a link to be notified about any forthcoming parking bans or major plowing events. And as always, if you have any feedback on city issues, please do not hesitate to contact my office by email at sarah.hamilton@edmonton.ca, or by phone at 780-496-8120.