Saskatoon road crews focusing on major routes after 11 cm snowfall

After a blizzard brought 11 centimetres of snow and high winds to Saskatoon on Wednesday, city crews and contractors are working to keep major roads passable.

The city said it has 30 plows, six graders and 15 sanders out working on the streets, and said crews are focusing on clearing and maintaining the highest-priority routes, including freeways like Circle Drive and major arterial roads. There are also nine sidewalk plows hard at work clearing sidewalks at city facilities, along with the Meewasin Trail and pathways along major roads.

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“Residents are reminded to watch for blue and amber flashing lights and to give road maintenance equipment the space needed to operate safely, especially during periods of reduced visibility,” the city said in a statement.

Residents can track the progress of snow grading using the city’s interactive map.

The city declared a “snow event” on Wednesday, which occurs whenever five centimetres of snow or more falls on the city.

During a snow event, the city says freeways, major arterial routes and bridges will be plowed within 12 hours of the end of the snowfall, and double-lane arterial routes like Clarence Avenue and Millar Avenue will be graded within 48 hours, along with Saskatoon Transit Routes. The city said collector streets, business improvement district streets and school zones will get attention within 72 hours.

The city has also activated its emergency response plan to help ensure everyone has a safe place to get away from the elements.

“If another snowfall or blowing snow occurs before these areas are cleaned up, crews may be redeployed to major roads,” the city noted.

Saskatoon could see more snow on Friday, as a smaller storm is headed to the province in the wake of Wednesday’s blizzard.

Bus service could see delays Thursday

The city advised transit users to check for service alerts frequently, as the storm may cause some issues with bus service on Friday.

“Saskatoon Transit will continue to monitor conditions and adjust service as needed,” the city said. “Delays or disruptions may occur due to collisions, drifting snow or inaccessible bus stops.”