(Supplied by City of Lethbridge)

By David Opinko

City to improve snow and ice control on pathways along roads in Lethbridge

Mar 23, 2022 | 6:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Winter is, hopefully, behind us now, but Lethbridge City Council is already preparing for the next snowy season.

Council voted unanimously at Tuesday’s regular meeting to approve a recommendation to adopt Service Level Enhancements for Snow and Ice Control for pathways along roadways.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen says they are changing Priority 3B Routes to Priority 2 Routes.

“Our residents who walk these pathways tell us every year they want to see these regional trails cleared faster. Transit, Parks and Transportation all receive numerous service requests for enhanced snow and ice control on City-controlled pathways and sidewalks, so this is a positive move that will improve mobility during the winter months for pedestrians, cyclists and those with mobility impairments.”

The regional trail system is cleared by the city’s parks department and has been a Priority 3B Route. Many of these pathways, however, are adjacent to Priority 1 Routes, resulting in intersections being plugged with snow piles.

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Blair Richter, G.M. of Parks and Cemeteries, says the current system makes it difficult for pedestrians to navigate after a snowfall, especially for those who are mobility-impaired.

“The solution is to use higher speed plows along the pathway portions of these regional trails and change the priority to Priority 2 cleared immediately after the arterial Priority 1 roadway plowing is completed. In addition, the remaining regional trails would be moved from Priority 3B to Priority 2 to match the timing of snow removal for all regional trails.”

The priority route change is not anticipated to impact any current operating budgets.

Below, you can see a before and after for the pathway priority clearing. You can also use this link to see a larger version of this image.

(City of Lethbridge)