Good Afternoon Ward 24 Neighbours,
For the snow event of December 1, here is an update from City of Toronto Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of December 1 at 1pm.
Note: These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount/type of precipitation.
Environment Canada has issued a Weather Advisory – https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?on61#2006086492130422201201911300503wo1171cwto
Weather: A winter storm has moved in with the risk of ice pellets for mid-late Sunday morning before mixing with snow into the early afternoon. Ice pellets will taper with light-moderate snow dominating for the remainder of the day and night then tapering to on and off flurries for the day on Monday. Generally speaking the farther west you travel the less snow and more ice pellets and the east the less ice pellets and more snow. All models have the freezing rain line over the Oakville to Milton area with ice pellets mainly affecting the Etobicoke to western Toronto while the downtown/north/eastern areas should see mostly snow. That being said areas to the west and could see from 1-3cm of ice pellets and 5-12cm of snow while the downtown/north/east could see trace-2cm of ice pellets and 7-15cm of snow. Snow rates should be in the range of 1-2.5cm/hr through the afternoon and 0.5-1cm/hr through Sunday night.
Given the forecast accumulation, it is likely that multiple rounds of salting and/or plowing will be required on expressways, arterial and collector roads. Local roads will also be plowed when snowfall has reached 8cm and has substantially stopped. High & low pedestrian volume sidewalks, as well as separated bike lanes, may also be cleared/salted multiple times.
Patrol:
– Transportation maintains a 24/7 patrol to constantly monitor road and sidewalk conditions.
Roadway Salting:
– Salting operations in all areas of the city commenced at approx. 8am – 9am Sunday.
– Salter are just completing their second round of salt on arterial roads.
– Salters are currently on their first round of salt on local roads.
– Multiple rounds of salt will be required. Salting will continue through the morning/afternoon until plowing thresholds are met.
Roadway Plowing
– Plowing operations on expressways will commence at 2.5cm of accumulation
– Plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will commence at 5cm of accumulation
– Timing of plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will vary throughout the city due to the amount of freezing rain & snow received
– Plowing operations on local roads will commence when accumulations have reached 8cm and are substantially complete – approximately 6pm Sunday.
Trails & Separated Bike Lanes
– Salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail commenced at approx. 8am Sunday
– Salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes commenced at approx. 8am Sunday
– Multiple rounds of plowing & salting on trails and bike lanes will be required
Sidewalks & Bus Stops
– Mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks and bus stops commenced at approx. 10am and will continue through Sunday evening
– Multiple rounds of sidewalk salting & plowing may be required.
Snow Event Update # 4 will be distributed at approximately 6pm Sunday.
For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto
Please remember to check on meighbours who are elderly or physically challenged by this weather!
All my Best,
Paul