City continues work on Priority road system: Saskatoon keeps moving

Crews continue to make significant progress on clearing priority roads around Saskatoon. More private contractor help has been activated than a typical snow event of 5 cm or more of snow, with close to 40 graders responding. City officials have been out monitoring traffic flow and note that there is sufficient mobility on local streets.  

As a result City officials have decided to maintain the established winter maintenance level of service – which still provides options to deal with mobility issues as they arise in certain areas. 

While the city received 25 cm of snow using our standard measurements, snow accumulation alone is not sufficient for the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (ERP) activation. The snowfall amount is right at the threshold. Mobility and ability to navigate streets is another key consideration. The snow that fell was light powder snow that when compacted by traffic will see improved mobility over time. This is what we are seeing on many local streets and current assessments show acceptable mobility across Saskatoon. However, as conditions evolve, the City will continue monitoring local streets for mobility issues.  

Activating the full five phases of the ERP comes at a cost of approximately $18 to 20 million, which is a substantial expenditure. Instead, the City is addressing specific problem areas and evaluating local streets for mobility and safety.  

So, crews remain focused on the following:  

• Priority 1 streets (major roadways, access to emergency facilities) are cleared within 12 hours after snow ends. 

• Priority 2 streets (major transit routes and select collector roads) are cleared within 36 hours after snowfall 

• Priority 3 streets (school zones, neighbourhood connectors) are cleared within 72 hours after snowfall. 

• Local streets are addressed as necessary, with specific areas inspected and prioritized based on mobility and safety concerns. 

City crews have been working around the clock to grade streets, prioritizing expressways like Circle Drive, major intersections, bridge decks and transit routes. All Priority 1 streets have been cleared and some Priority 2 streets have been started, with all priority routes expected to be fully graded by Thursday morning. Crews will inspect challenging areas and address safety concerns. Snow removal from priority streets, downtown and school zones will be the next major objective. 

We commend the community for stepping up during this snow event—helping neighbours, staying off the roads where possible and allowing crews to perform their work efficiently. A reminder: do not blow or push snow onto the streets. This reduces mobility for everyone and is unkind to neighbours and others using the street. 

The status of snow clearing throughout the city can be monitored through the Priority Street Snow Grading Map. Learn about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow. Stay in the know by checking the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/SnowReport and checking for service alerts. 

Saskatoon Transit may be impacted by road conditions, please go to saskatoontransit.ca for messages to riders for fixed-route transit and Access Transit, and check the real-time mobile apps, transit and Google Maps, or visit saskatoontransit.ca/service-alerts.   

Stay safe Saskatoon and thank you for your cooperation.