Mixed Precipitation On The Way

City of Windsor and contractor crews are preparing for a messy mix starting early tomorrow morning and lasting into Wednesday. Environment Canada predicts snow will begin early Tuesday morning and continue throughout the morning before changing to lighter snow or rain showers Tuesday afternoon. Up to 5 centimetres of accumulation is possible.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become slippery. Motorists are asked to drive slowly and give extra room for stopping.

Both the morning and afternoon rush hour are expected to be affected by the storm causing delays due to the changing road conditions. Try to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the road.

The City of Windsor’s Public Works Department has prepared a few reminders to help ensure everyone can enjoy a safe winter season:

Clearing of Streets

As is the case each year, City staff monitor weather forecasts and begin salting, when required, to help ensure roads remain as safe as possible. Plowing starts once the snowfall accumulation reaches five centimetres, and an average route takes from three to six hours to complete once the snow has stopped falling, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. Once the main roads are clear, and only if more than 10 centimetres of snow has fallen, trucks will then move into residential areas.

Snow Plows

Motorists are asked to be patient when travelling behind a plow and give operators plenty of room. Plows typically operate at up to 40 kilometres per hour. Following too close to a snow plow can lead to poor visibility, and vehicles risk being hit by thrown snow, salt or rocks.

Sidewalks and Driveways

Residents and property owners are reminded that clearing of sidewalks abutting their property is their responsibility. Please be sure to remove snow completely from your sidewalk to ensure that people with mobility issues are able to pass through freely.

As well, under the Highway Traffic Act and City of Windsor by-laws, it is prohibited to shovel snow back onto the street while clearing sidewalks and driveways, as this creates unsafe road conditions for motorists. All sidewalks in commercial areas are to be cleared within four hours after the snowfall ends and within twelve hours in residential areas.

For More Info

In all conditions, Public Works reminds drivers to use TLC (time – allow enough time to arrive safely at your destination; length – make sure you leave enough space between you and the vehicles around you; and caution – always drive with care, especially in hazardous conditions). To learn more about our winter weather operations, visit our Snow Removal page or contact 311.

Reminder: Snow Angels Needed

Just a reminder, the City’s Snow Angels volunteer snow removal program is still looking for volunteers.