City of Burlington Ready for Winter Weather -- Subscribe for Email Updates Online
*Please see below a media release issued by the City of Burlington.
Burlington, Ont. — Dec. 10, 2020 — The City of Burlington is ready for more snow and cold and is sharing helpful information for residents to know for this winter season. Residents wanting to stay informed on snow event declarations, facility closures and re-openings and recreation program changes should subscribe to respective newsfeeds at burlington.ca/enews and follow the City of Burlington on Facebook and Twitter.
During a snow event when accumulation is more than 5 cm, road clearing updates can be found by visiting burlington.ca/snow -- the public will also find information on the webpage on parking, Q-and-As, the road priority map and a link to sign up for Snow Control Updates.Snow Control Update subscribers will receive emails at 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. about the status of snow removal. To receive Snow Control Updates by email, visit Burlington.ca/enews to subscribe.
"We know this year is likely to present challenges with so many people still working from home and cars parked on residential streets. The pandemic doesn’t change the fact that our plows and snow clearing equipment cannot get down some streets when there are vehicles parked on them. Please follow the City on social media or subscribe to the Snow Control newsfeed to find out when a snow event has been declared and when you need to remove your vehicles parked on-street."-- Mark Adam, Manager of Road Operations, City of Burlington
When weather events, such as snow or freezing rain, become more extreme and safe travel becomes more challenging, the City may decide to close some or all facilities, such as community centres, pools, arenas and City Hall.It is important for people to know that a declared snow event does not automatically mean all City facilities and programs are closed. Facility closures and program cancellations are communicated separately.On occasion, a program may be cancelled when City facilities remain open. For instance, if staff are unable to travel to operate the facility or the program instructor is unable to travel safely. If a program is cancelled when the facility is open, staff will contact the participants as soon as possible.Residents wanting to know if a City facility has been closed can either follow the City’s social media accounts or go to burlington.ca/notices.
"Providing recreation services must be balanced with community and staff safety, especially in these times. Keeping a facility open or closing it is always a difficult decision that our leadership group takes very seriously. If we decide to stay open, the decision to travel to a facility is up to the participant and program providers and renters are given the opportunity to reschedule or cancel themselves."-- Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington
Snow Clearing Service Levels:
- Primary and Secondary roads begin to be cleared when snow reaches 5 cm of accumulation.
- Residential roads begin to be cleared when snow reaches 7.5 cm of accumulation. Residential roads are not maintained to bare pavement. They are plowed only after a snow accumulation of 7.5 cm has fallen in a single event. Sand is applied to enhance traction, as required.
- All sidewalks are plowed and salted and sanded, if icy within 48 hours of snowfall.
- All roads will be cleared 24-hours after the snowfall has ended.
- For all roads, sidewalks and select pathways, clearing may take longer if more than 12 cm has fallen. Please be patient as our crews work to clear the busiest streets first.
- The City is not responsible for clearing windrows left on driveways when the plow passes. If you think you will need help clearing the windrow, please make arrangements such as speaking with your neighbours, family members or hire a contractor.
Parking During the Winter:When a snow event is declared, there is no parking on any city streets until 24-hours after the snow event has been declared over. The City thanks residents for their cooperation to move their vehicles off city streets to help with snow clearing operations. Residents who park their cars on streets blocking snow removal could be faced with a $120 parking ticket or be towed.All existing parking exemptions are also cancelled during snow events.Snow events and parking restrictions are announced through the City’s social media as well as through Snow Control Updates which can be found at burlington.ca/snow. Snow Control Updates can also be emailed to any resident who subscribes.What residents can do:During the winter season, the City of Burlington maintains 1,900 lane kilometres of roads and 850 kilometres of sidewalks. Residents can help with the removal of snow from streets and sidewalks by following road safety and parking rules:
- Please wait until 24-hours after the snowfall has ended before calling or emailing your concerns. It takes time to clean up after a storm; please give us 24-hours after the snow has ended to do this work. Your patience is appreciated.
- Do not park vehicles on the street during or 24-hours after a snowfall. Also, please do not leave vehicles over the sidewalk while in your driveway as this can prevent the sidewalk plow from completing its work.
- Do not shovel, plow or blow snow from residential or commercial properties onto the road or across the road. This poses a hazard to motorists and is prohibited by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and City bylaw.
- Snowplows need room to clear the ice and snow. Please stay back 70 feet as sand and salt may be dropping from the trucks. This also gives you room to stop safely.
- Give snowplows plenty of space at intersections. The snowplow may need two or more lanes to turn or to get through the intersection. If a snowplow is waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not pull up and stop underneath or in front of the wing plow (the plow attached to the right side of the truck). Your vehicle could be struck by the plow when the truck pulls forward.
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--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist