Snow Clearing Plan 2024
As we move deeper into the winter season, winter weather, including snow and ice, will impact our daily lives. With that expectation, the Town of Hinton Infrastructure Services wants to assure our Residents that as a service to the public, we put Street Snow Clearing and Sanding on top of our priorities.
Please drive responsibly and according to the road conditions. The Town of Hinton asks that drivers watch for our staff and make all attempts to give them space to work, including proactively moving vehicles and not passing plow and truck teams, as this can cause dangerous conditions for staff and other drivers alike.
Preparation
The Infrastructure Services Team follows the Street Snow Clearing and Sanding policy in providing this very essential services. They are constantly checking the weather, having the equipment loaded with sand/ salt, plow blades on snow-clearing equipment, and, most importantly, having staff members prepared for call-out situations. During after-hours and Weekends, at least one worker and one supervisor are on call, ready to handle after-hours events.
Plowing
As per the Policy, Snow Plowing will be carried out after snow accumulation of approximately 5 centimetres. Snow plowing will be carried out as per the following priority orders:
- Switzer Drive from Hill Access to Valley Access,
- Dr. Reid Way,
- Jug Handle (intersection at the Hinton Centre and Kelley Road),
- Robb Road and
- Mountain Street (Highway #16 – Robb Road)
These areas will be plowed to ensure safe driving with minimal inconvenience to the motorist. All other areas will generally be left until the snowfall has subsided.
Approaches on Switzer Drive, MacLeod Avenue, and Hardisty Avenue (Recreation Centre, Swanson Drive, etc.) intersections will be cleared back as far as possible and practical to improve visibility.
Once these priorities roads are complete the crew will divide into groups and proceed to the Hill and Valley Districts.
The Hill Area
The Hill area crew will follow the following sequence for snow plowing:
- Collinge Road & Wanyandi Avenue,
- Eaton Road & Government Road,
- Kelley Road and West River Road,
- MacLeod Avenue – Switzer Drive to Rowan Street,
- Residential Streets fronting schools,
- Service Roads along Highway #16,
- Parks West Mall Access & Woodley Drive,
- Jarvis Street,
- Access to Water & Sewer Facilities,
- Hill Shopping Centre as required (approximately 10 centimetres),
- Residential Streets as required.
The Valley Area
The Valley Area Crew will follow the following sequence for snow plowing:
- Hardisty Avenue – Switzer Drive to Switzer Drive,
- Tamarack Avenue & Tamarack Drive,
- Maurer Drive and Boutin Avenue,
- East River Road to Corporate Limits,
- Residential streets fronting schools,
- Thompson Lake (Brookhart, Makenny, Brown, Smith Streets; McArdell Drive and Tocher Avenue),
- Remaining Intersections abutting Switzer Drive,
- Recreation Centre Parking Lot,
- Hampshire Road,
- Swanson Drive,
- Access to Water & Sewer Facilities,
- Valley Shopping Centre as required (approximately 10 centimetres),
- Residential Streets as required.
Sanding/Salting
During icy conditions, to improve safety and mobility, the Infrastructure Service team may use sand and salt on the Streets as per the following orders:
- Switzer Drive (Hill Access to Valley Access),
- Dr. Reid Way (Hospital Entrance),
- Robb Road, including the Mountain Street Intersection,
- Jug Handle.
Sanding Trucks will then split to Hill and Valley.
Hill Area Street Sanding sequence
- Mountain Street (Robb Road to Hwy #16, including Gerard Redmond School),
- Collinge Road Area (St. Gregory Catholic School),
- Eaton Road & Government Road,
- Kelley Road and West River Road,
- MacLeod Avenue (Mountain View School),
- Service Roads along Hwy #16,
- Jarvis Street & Forest Heights,
- Remaining Hill Area & Hill Shopping Centre,
- Remaining Intersections abutting Switzer Drive.
Valley Area Street Sanding sequence
- Hardisty Avenue (Crescent Valley School),
- Tamarack Avenue & Tamarack Drive,
- Sunwapta Drive (Harry Collinge High School),
- Maurer Drive & Boutin Avenue,
- Thompson Lake,
- Valley Area,
- Streets abutting Hardisty & Switzer,
- Valley Shopping Centre
General
- Usually, the Town will grade the snow to the middle of the street and follow with our snow blower and trucks to haul it away. Watch for electronic message boards advising the planned streets to be cleared that day. Please note that the Grader will get ahead by two to three streets at times for efficient use of resources and to compensate for breakdowns or necessary maintenance.
- Handicap parking stalls on Town of Hinton property will be cleared as required.
- Snow plowing and snow removal in the shopping centres are done simultaneously, and due to the timing of the snowfall, the shopping centres may not follow this particular order. Shopping Centres will be plowed in the early morning hours, generally within 48 hours after the snow has subsided.
- Snow plowing during a snowfall will only be done if it is determined that it is safer to do so rather than waiting until the snow subsides.
During any significant snowfall accumulation and snowfall for a longer duration, The Town of Hinton is aware of the difficulty experienced by area residents and travellers. We ask for your patience while we work to make our area roadways as safe as possible for all drivers. As the driver of a vehicle, it is crucial that you drive according to the prevailing road conditions.
We appreciate your patience.
Please call 780-865-2634 for further information.