The County of Minburn is committed to providing efficient services and maintaining safe conditions for residents throughout the winter season. However, given the County's extensive size, it takes time for Public Works crews to get to all areas. Crews work as fast as they safely can in difficult conditions and plan their routes according to the priority levels and timelines approved by County Council.
County of Minburn Public Works follow a priority system based on the Snow Clearing Policy to clear winter roads. School bus routes are cleared first as outlined in the snow clearing map, below (click here for a zoomable PDF):
Why hasn't my road been plowed yet?
As per County policy PW 26, there is a priority list that ranks the order in which roads get plowed. This is:
- School Bus Routes (view map)
- Private Driveways
- Main Roads
- Gravel Roads
- Hamlets/Subdivisions
The probable answer is that the snowplow has not yet had time to reach your road. Depending on the amount of snowfall, it can take 3-5 days for the County to open up its entire road system.
When does the County begin plowing roads?
The County plows roads when it has determined that enough snow has fallen or drifted to warrant plowing, or temperature and precipitation has created slippery surfaces.
However, there are other factors to consider:
- The County does not plow during a snowfall. We will dispatch snow removal equipment once the snowfall has stopped.
- The County tries its best to keep snow clearing within a Monday – Friday window, as overtime costs are significant on weekends.
The grader drove by my house and did not plow my driveway. Why?
As per County policy PW 26, private property, such as driveways, do not get plowed until the school bus routes have been cleared. Generally speaking, it takes 3-5 days for the County to plow its roadways after a significant snowfall. Furthermore, the County will not enter a driveway unless a Driveway Clearing Agreement has been signed and returned.
Does the County plow every road in winter?
No, the County does not open/plow every road during winter. A map of the closed roads in winter can be viewed below (click here for a zoomable PDF): 