How the City of Regina plans on tackling ice-filled and snowy streets

The wallop of winter could bring a hat trick of conditions for the Queen City.

Daryl Massier, the City of Regina’s manager of Roadways Seasonal Operations, said forecasted freezing rain, snow, and strong winds could make it for challenging crews to clear.

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Crews are ready for rain to shift to snow on Wednesday, as an Alberta Clipper barrels across the province.

“It’s a lot more ice control right now than it would be on a regular middle of December day when we normally just be getting snow,” he said. “It’s just more of a shift to trying to cope with the conditions.”

Massier said it may not be a bad idea for people to stay home if they can manage it.

“The amount of rain that’s forecasted along with the with the dropping temperatures, it’s going to get icy out,” he said. “There’s no doubt, with just with the flash freezing, we do have our ice control people out, they’ll be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“This is a peculiar time when we’re getting a rainstorm in December.”

The City of Regina has 20 sandbox locations for free pick up. (City of Regina/Screenshot)

There are 20 sandbox locations around the city were residents can collect a free sand salt mixture to throw on their residential or business sidewalks.

Environment Canada has said blizzard-like conditions could promise anywhere between 10 to 25 centimetres of snow.

Massier said when the snow starts to fall, plows will focus on clearing priority streets first to keep certain spots from being blowing in.

“The winds are actually quite challenging,” he said. “To compensate that we bring in extra help.

“We will assign graders to and plows to certain areas that we know where the wind affects the street.”

About 100 full-time and contracted workers and 70 pieces of equipment are ready to help clear the streets.

When the storm passes, Massier said crews will begin hauling away snow piles.

Stormy conditions causes service disruptions

The nasty conditions are causing some service disruptions in the Queen City.

The city said curbside pick-up has been cancelled for the rest of Wednesday, including garbage, recycling, and food and waste bins.

Several departures and arrivals have been cancelled at the Regina Airport Authority on Wednesday.

Regina Transit said passengers could face delays in bus arrival and departures.

As of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the city declared that snow routes are in effect starting at 6 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Snow routes are marked with signs with a snowflake on them.

“Vehicles which remain parked on snow routes during the temporary parking ban will be ticketed and towed to a nearby street,” said the city in a Facebook post.

Parking along snow routes in Regina will not be permitted between 6 a.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday. (980 CJME file photo)

Snow routes declared

The City of Regina has declared snow routes in effect as of 6 a.m. Thursday for 24-hours.

“This means there is no on-street parking along the routes identified by blue signage with a white snowflake, for a 24-hour period,” said the city in a statement.

Vehicles that are on the snow route during this temporary parking ban will be ticketed.

Residents can check the map on Regina.ca/SnowRoutes to learn where snow routes are located.