Winter Road Maintenance
We thank all residents for respecting our snow removal bylaw and snow removal guidelines (Bylaw 2012-08 and Policy No. P-20-2007).
When will snow removal operations start?
- A single event of loose snowfall greater than 100 mm
- A total compacted accumulation depth of snow 100 mm or greater
In any singular event with loose snowfall greater than 200 mm, we will focus on clearing the driving lanes in order of priority, leaving ploughed snow in windrow form alongside the road in the curb lane. Windrows will be cleared after all the roads and lanes have been ploughed. For this type of event, the Town will supplement operations with contracted services.
When do snow removal signs get posted?
Snow Day Removal Operation Signs will normally be posted a minimum of 24-hours prior to a particular area being cleaned.
Snow Day Removal sign placement, location, date and time will be recorded by the Operations department. Sign removal date and time will also be recorded by Operations.
Snow Day Removal Notices will be posted to the Town website and Facebook page.
Who maintains highways?
The Town maintains Westlock roads, with the exception of Highway 18 and Highway 44, which are managed by Emcon under contract with the Province of Alberta. All requests for road maintenance on these two highways should be directed to Emcon at 1-800-390-2242.
Snow Removal Priority Map and Snow Zone Map
We have established priority snow clearing and snow clearing zones. These will determine which areas (zones) are being cleared first and in what order. Throughout the season, as snow removal continues, the order will rotate to ensure that the zone which was cleared first will become the last zone in the next rotation. This has been adopted to mitigate concerns that some areas are always cleared last.
| Snow Clearing Activity | ||
| Date of Snow Event: | Residential Snow Removal Begins: | Snow Removal Zone Rotation Schedule: |
| January 9, 2024 | Emergency routes and highway intersections will be cleared today. Sanding of key intersections and roadways will occur all day. | Next Snow Event, Residential Snow Removal Begins: Zone 2 |
| January 20, 2024 | Emergency routes and highway intersections will be cleared. Sanding of key intersections and roadways will occur all week. | Past Activity: January 24, 2024 Priority 2 - Crews are clearing Downtown. Watch for no parking signs. Past Activity: January 29, 2024 Priority 2 – Operations crews continue to clear Priority Intersections and School Zones. We estimate moving to Priority 3 tomorrow and will be moving into Zone 2. Past Activity: February 1, 2024 Priority 3 - Operations crews have cleared Zones 2, 3, 4 and 5. Crews are currently clearing Zone 6. Past Activity: February 2, 2024 Priority 3 and 4 - Operations crews expect all Zones to be cleared by the end of the day. |
| February 5, 2024 | Emergency routes and highway intersections will be cleared. Sanding of key intersections and roadways as required. | |
| February 25, 2024 | Priority 1: Emergency routes and highway intersections. Priority 2: Downtown Business District & School Zones Priority 3: Remaining Collector Roads. Priority 4: Local Roads | Past Activity: February 26, 2024 Priority 1 - Operations crews are clearing emergency routes and highway intersections. Past Activity: February 28, 2024 Priority 2 routes in the Downtown Business District will be cleared tonight into tomorrow. Crews will continue into Zones, starting with Zone 3. Past Activity: February 29 & March 1, 2024 Operations crews will be finishing up collector roads in Zone 3 and moving on to Zone 4. Please watch for no parking signs. Past Activity: March 2 & 3, 2024 Operations crews will be working on clearing collector roads in all Zones. These roads are highlighted in blue on the Snow Clearing Priority Map below. Past Activity: March 4 & 5, 2024 Operations crews will be working on clearing remaining local roads in all Zones. These roads are highlighted in purple on the Snow Clearing Priority Map below. |
Snow removal schedules and plans are subject to change without notice due to shifting weather patterns and mechanical performance. Any changes will be posted to the Town website and Facebook page.
Things to keep in mind
If we all work together each snow season, we ensure our residents are able to access amenities and necessities.
It is the responsibility of all residents, whether they own or rent their home, to keep public sidewalks adjoining their property clear of ice, snow, sand and other debris. You can file a bylaw complaint at www.westlock.ca if a sidewalk has not been cleared within 24 hours of the snowfall.
Clearing sidewalks in front of residences and businesses within 24 hours after the snowfall event.
Following instructions on snow removal signs when posted on residential roadways. Remember: When No Parking signs are posted on snow route zones, all vehicles must be removed off the roadway by 12:00 a.m. until the snow removal operation is completed.
Once an event is triggered, the Town is committed to completing a full removal cycle within 12 days, except for extreme events.
If you have any questions, contact us at 780-350-0710 or for after-hours call 780-349-0178.
Sign up for Transportation Alerts
Zone maps and snow route removal dates will be shared throughout the Town of Westlock communication channels, a minimum of 24-hours before the snow removal efforts start, if possible. Messaging will continue throughout the event as information is made available. Residents are encouraged to sign up for Transportation Alerts through the Westlock Regional Notification System to receive these messages directly by text, email, or voice mail.