Winter storm season reminders

❄️ REMINDER >>> YOUR WINTER STORM GUIDE
It looks like it's finally going to happen -- the first significant snowfall of the Winter of 2022-2023 is in the forecast, with the potential for 20 cm of snow on Friday and overnight into early Saturday morning.

Snow, freezing rain, ice pellets, and strong winds present obstacles for you and for those tasked with clearing the more than 100 kilometers of streets and sidewalks in Bridgewater in the days following a storm. With that in mind, we wanted to once again remind the travelling public and our entire community about how our storm operations roll out when bad weather hits and where you can find important information about changes to services caused by storms.

➡ BEFORE THE STORM
The Town’s crews are generally on the road pre-salting before a storm hits. Salting the roads prior to a storm prevents bonding between falling snow or ice pellets/freezing rain and the road surface, helping to make post-storm cleanup easier.

? Winter Parking Alerts
When bad weather is expected, the Town will issue Winter Parking Alerts as a reminder for residents to seek off-street parking to allow snow clearing to take place. hese alerts are published on social media and available via push notification through the Town of Bridgewater app. To download the app, visit www.bridgewater.ca/app.

Under Section 139 of the Motor Vehicle Act, it is illegal to leave any vehicle on the street if it obstructs winter maintenance during or after a snowstorm. If you do so, your vehicle may be towed away without warning at your expense.

⚠️ Weather Alerts and Advisories
Get your forecast information from reliable services, such as CKBW/Country 100.7 and Environment Canada or a trusted weather app. During bad weather, heed the advice of Bridgewater Police Service and RCMP and stay off the road if asked to do so – this allows crews to work more efficiently to clear roads and eases the burden on emergency responders.

➡ DURING THE STORM
Plowing generally begins when snow cover on primary roads reaches between 5 and 7 centimeters. The remainder of plows are usually activated near the end of the storm. If a larger storm is expected (forecasts calling for more than 10 cm) plowing may begin on secondary streets prior to the end of a storm.The Town of Bridgewater’s Public Works crews provide the same level of service during and after a winter storm regardless of the time of day or day of the week.

❓ Did you know?
Bridgewater's Public Works crews can safely work a maximum of 16 hours before a required rest period. That's why a great deal of careful planning goes into the timing of when crews spring into action – to make sure they can be deployed effectively before they're required to rest.

? Transit service during a storm
Bridgewater Transit drivers work with our Public Works staff to keep our transit service on the road as long as safely possible. If more than 10 cm of snow is forecast, transit service may be delayed. Keep up to date on all impacts to Town services during a storm via the Town's social media or app, or in our Storm Centre at bridgewater.ca/storm.

➡ AFTER THE STORM
? 0-12 Hours
Crews begin clearing streets in force near the conclusion of a storm, starting with main arteries and hills in Bridgewater. Our job is to ensure that emergency vehicles have basic access to every area of our community. In an emergency, plowing crews coordinate with police, fire, and paramedics to ensure immediate access as required.

? 12-24 hours
Crews work on sidewalk maintenance, starting first near Bridgewater’s school zones. Crews also “wing back” snow or ice on streets and begin removal of snow from parking areas downtown, allowing our local businesses to resume normal operation as soon as possible.

? 24-48 hours
Sidewalk maintenance and additional winging back of snow cover on streets continues during this period, with additional sanding and salting as required by conditions.

?+48 hours
Crews focus on additional work around bus stops, crosswalks, and fire hydrants.

⛄️ Clearing your property
Under Section 318 of the Municipal Government Act, snow cannot be plowed across any streets or on to sidewalks; it must be stored on the property being cleared or hauled away and dumped in an approved location. The Town of Bridgewater is a supporter of the Plow It Forward campaign, which encourages neighbours to help each other after a storm. You can also help by adopting a fire hydrant to keep clear.