During the snow removal season, the Town of Creston works hard to create a safe town for residents and visitors. Residents can help the snow trucks clear the way more efficiently by moving their vehicles off the roads, especially in cul-de-sacs, before the snow falls.
Snow plowing may result in windrows on both sides of the road. The clearing of windrows in front of driveways left by snow plowing equipment is the responsibility of the property owner or occupant.
Residents are responsible for clearing snow from their driveways and the sidewalk fronting their properties. The town is responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks that are on town property.
Road Clearing Priority
The Public Works group is responsible for snow removal and ice control on roadways and sidewalks within the Town of Creston boundaries. Roads are cleared based on their priority status, according to the Town of Creston Snow Removal and Ice Control Policy. For more detailed information please refer to the policy.
Priorities are established to provide the greatest benefit to the majority of the travelling public. When setting the priorities, consideration is given to traffic volumes, road classification, emergency services, road geometrics, terrain, transit and access to amenities.
Major Collectors – main routes serving as connectors/collectors between areas and routes
Roads serving emergency routes to hospitals and fire equipment
Public transit routes
School Zones
Roads identified in Priority 1 will be opened 24 hours of the end of the storm event.
Remainder of collector roads
Roads identified in Priority 2 will be opened 48 hours of the end of the storm event.
Remainder of roads in the municipality
Municipal owned parking lots
Paved recreation trails
Roads identified in Priority 3 will be opened within 72 hours of the end of the storm event with the exception of weekends and Statutory Holidays, which will not be included in the 72 hours. Priority 3 roads will not be cleared on weekends or Statutory Holidays.
These are considered to be minimum standards and it is anticipated that under average conditions all roads will be cleared within 24 hours. Sidewalks that are cleared by the town are dealt with by the sidewalk crew and are not impacted by the above priorities.
Other Information
Residents are responsible for clearing snow from their driveways and the sidewalk fronting their properties. Ice and snow from sidewalks must be removed before 12:00 noon on every day excepting Sundays and Statutory Holidays.
The Town of Creston is responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks that are on Town Property. Sidewalks that are cleared by the town are dealt with by the sidewalk crew and are not impacted by road clearing priorities.
Snow plowing may result in windrows on both sides of the road. The clearing of windrows in front of driveways left by snow plowing equipment shall be the responsibility of the property owner or occupant.
The clearing of windrows crossing lane entrances are the responsibility of the Town and will be cleared as soon as practical following completion of Priority 3 roadways.
The clearing of snow between the edge of the street and all fire hydrants is the responsibility of the Town. The work shall commence when the snow depth exceeds 450mm or when the hydrant ports are hidden from view.
The snow and ice control services are not intended to eliminate all hazardous conditions, but more to assist vehicles that are properly equipped for winter driving conditions and operated in a manner consistent with good winter driving habits and also to assist pedestrians walking with care and attention to winter conditions.
Please caution your children not to play in the snow banks and snow piles as this can lead to a potentially dangerous situation. The snowplough operators cannot see tunnels carved in the snow.
Sight lines - Please do not pile your snow at the end of your driveway, as this may obscure your line of sight when exiting your driveway.
Frequently Asked Questions
We do a few different things. We sand roads during icy periods to increase traction and we will add a salt brine to the sand in particularly slippery conditions. We apply these carefully because salt can affect sensitive ecosystems and sand can damage vehicles and contributes to poor air quality in spring.
Unfortunately, the Town cannot clear snow left in front of driveways. To clear all of the driveways within the Town would take one piece of equipment approximately 15 days, this is beyond the scope and resource capability of the Town.
You can ask a neighbour, friend or family member for help if they’re available. Community groups and neighbourhood associations may have suggestions or information included on bulletin boards or in newsletters. Many companies provide snow clearing services and you can find them in the phone book, newspaper or online.
If possible, wait until the ploughs have made their passes on your side of the road.
Tip: You may find it helpful to dump snow from your driveway to the left (when standing facing your home). This way the snowplough will only hit road snow and won’t redeposit your shoveled snow back into your driveway. Please do not deposit ice, snow or debris, onto the street, which may obstruct and create hazards.
Yes. Ploughing and sanding crews are available 24 hours a day. The hours they work depends upon the time of the day when it snows and the amount of snowfall.
All snow should be placed within the confines of your property to avoid conflict with neighbours. Structure your snow storage early on by storing snow at the furthest points away from the areas you wish to keep clear.
During times of snow accumulation, place your bins on or in front of your driveway where you have cleared the snow. Make sure bins are placed where they are not restricting vehicles or pedestrians.
Winter road maintenance can be taxing on crews and equipment. Obviously equipment does require repair from time to time, however, every effort is made to keep equipment up and running and well maintained at all times.
Yes. After a snowfall, crews are often hampered by cars parked on streets, which block access for snow clearing equipment, this creates time delays and can be hazardous. Please ensure that vehicles parked on streets or boulevards do not exceed a 24hr period. The Town cannot accept responsibility for damage to vehicles parked on streets or boulevards during snow removal operations.
Should you have any concerns or questions not covered above with regard to snow removal, please call the Town of Creston, Infrastructure Services Department at 250-428-2214, extension 611.
