City Manager Says Getting Traffic Moving And Not Parking Top Priority In Snow Event

Getting the snow off of the street so traffic can move takes precedence over immediate parking City Manager Jim Puffalt said in this morning’s post Council media scrum.

The City Manager was answering questions related to a story about snow clearing on 1st Avenue NW from Manitoba Street West to Oxford Street West.

"I think it would depend on the snow conditions (as to when the snow is removed).”

He said the number one priority is to have the “streets open and people able to drive.”

Under the City’s snow removal policy the target for re-opening Priority Two roads - 1st Avenue NW is listed as a Priority Two Road for snow clearing purposes - is 48 hours.

Asked about filling the parking lane and the effect it would have Puffalt pointed to the lower use the City had documented when it comes to people parking along 1st Avenue NW.

“Not a lot of people use those parking spots at all,” he said, adding the City would attempt to pile snow in areas where there was no parking until they had time to remove it.