All ABOUT SNOW – Plowing & Removal

Over the last couple of weeks I have received over 100 emails outlining concerns on snow removal.

I have diligently brought your requests to the attention of City Winter Maintenance staff and 311 and will continue to do so. However, please understand as a Councillor I cannot direct city staff to do specific work.

But as your City Councillor I can propose changes to the current standards.

I am writing with an explanation of what the current City standards are for snow removal, and more importantly what you can do to influence a change in those standards, which have not been revised since 2003.

I have requested that City Winter Maintenance hold a public meeting here in the ward to explain the current standards but as of now no date has been set.

Part of the current situation is we have gotten a lot of snow in a short period which as many of you have noted is likely to occur more often in the future due to climate change.

So far this winter we have received 199cm of snow. The yearly average is 225cm. So thus far Ottawa has received 90% of our annual snowfall, and we are only about halfway through the season. This is scary as it compares to the 2018/19 winter where the city received a record 312cm of snow.

The other part of the problem is the limitations of the current standards, coupled with the snow budget and staff available to deal with the snow. Following the 2018/19 winter the city did undertake a “Winter Maintenance Quality Standards Review” and was to issue a report with recommend new standards to the city in the fall of 2021. Unfortunately, that deadline was pushed back until sometime this spring with city staff anticipating changes to the standards for next winter (2023/24). The current 2003 standards are fairly complex so I have attached a general summary of the standards for residential streets, sidewalks and cycle tracks at the end of this message.

As the report and recommendations are being still being finalized, I think there is still time to make an impact on those recommendations as the city is still accepting comments via email at: wmqs_rnqeh@ottawa.ca

As well you can upload your photos and comments that you send to the city to my website using this link so I can compile a report with visual evidence to present to the Committee and Council later this year. If possible, include information relevant to the standard while it is still evident. Measure the cleared distance between the banks, and the height of the banks where it is impairing your ability to see stop signs for example, or hydro hydrants and so forth. As well as any information about when – if – snow was removed this winter from your street.

Another avenue to express your concerns is through the budget consultations. If you think the city should be spending additional money on snow operations or allocating more of the existing budget to snow operations, please participate in the city’s budget consultation make your views known. In particular if you don’t want to attend a meeting you can fill out a survey that includes the priority you place on snow removal. My own budget consultation is on February 23 at 7:00pm. You can join using this link Virtual presentation

Presentations can also be made at Transportation Committee’s budget consultation on February 23, 2023 at 9:30am. As registration information for the committee becomes available, I will circulate it.

Lastly, when the Winter Operations Review Report goes to Transportation Committee, you can make your views known to the Committee, and as details for that meeting are finalized later this year, I will send you an update on how to comment.

Thank you,

Stéphanie

Generalized summary of City’s Winter Maintenance Standards for Information only. 

The 2003 standards  –are SUSPENDED whenever a Significant Weather Event is declared – which is pretty much every time there is a storm,  These standards dictate when the plows should start working – after the last snowflake has fallen  – with a timeline for the work to be complete. 

I have tried to summarize the standards for our neighbourhood streets in a general manner below:

For residential sidewalks the first trigger is 2.5cm of snow for downtown core sidewalks and the winter cycling network, and 5cm for residential sidewalks. There is no minimum standard for the width of the cleared sidewalk. Sidewalks are only required to be cleared to “snow packed” not the pavement unless they are beside an arterial road or in the Byward Market or the downtown business district.

Street plowing to the pavement starts at 5cm of snow fall for secondary roads and minor collectors and 7cm or more for residential streets. Residential streets need be cleared to “snow packed” under the standards.

The city removes snowbanks when specific thresholds are hit as it relates to travel widths on roadways based on a priority system, starting with main roads having no snowbanks allowed.

For minor collector roads snow removal is to take place when the banks reduce the street to less than 6m wide, or if there are many parking permits, the clear width is to be 8.2m. after which the city is to remove the snowbank or widen the lane within 14 days.

For residential streets, snow removal is to take place when the banks reduce the street to less than 5m if there is a parking lane or 2.5m if no parking lane or if one way. Again, once the street is that narrow city staff have 14 days to widen the clear section or remove the snowbank.

Lastly, whenever there is a storm, all snowbank removal stops as resources are diverted to plowing.

The standards do not refer to winter cycle lanes at all, but the city on their website on the cycling in Ottawa page does state they maintain them, but City staff so far have not been able to give me information on where that standard is actually outlined.

On-street cycling lanes will be plowed following 2.5 to 5.0 cm of accumulation within the timelines identified in the Maintenance Quality Standards (within 24 hours following thecompletion of snow accumulation). Raised cycle tracks and multi-use pathways will be also be plowed following 2.5 to 5.0 cm of snow accumulation, however they are maintained to a snow packed standard with the exception of those adjacent to arterial roadways. Snow removal will be scheduled when snow banks are encroaching on to 50% of the existing width of the bike lane.