Safety reminder: Please don’t climb on or tunnel through snow piles

Snow piles may seem like an attractive playground, but when they are in the roadway or located in busy parking lots, they can be dangerous. It is easy to slip and slide into the path of an oncoming vehicle, and equipment operators moving snow into the pile or in the area may not be able to see or react in time to avoid injury.

Snow piles often have soft spots or air pockets that people can fall into, and walking on them can cause snow piles to collapse altogether, especially during the thaw. Collapsed snow heaps can suffocate anyone trapped underneath them. Everyone is advised to proceed around snow piles with caution.

Snow grading in residential neighbourhoods and industrial areas continues as part of the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (ERP), and crews have started to address the snow piles along the roadways where sightlines maybe reduced. Drivers should proceed with caution near intersections and crosswalks.

Snow piles will only be removed from Priority 1 streets. Snow removal on Priority 1 streets is expected to begin on Monday March 11 and should take approximately two weeks. Snow removal has already begun in school zones and Business Improvement Districts. Changes in weather may cause these timelines to be adjusted.

Snow removal on residential streets will not take place unless there is a localized serious safety concern or significant drainage issue, which will be assessed and addressed as required.

Stay in the know about snow grading efforts by visiting saskatoon.ca/snow and following the City’s social media channels. Check the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/snowreport. A regularly updated map of completed Priority Streets is available at saskatoon.ca/prioritystreetsmap.