LAST UPDATED AT 1:25 P.M. ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2024)
TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER SERVICE NOTICES >>> Service notices will be placed in this section as they are received.
SNOW CLEARING OPERATIONS UPDATE >>> (Issued at 1:25 p.m. on Sunday, February 4, 2024) Portions of King Street, between Victoria Road and Maple Street, including Old Bridge, will be temporarily closed from 1:30 until 8 p.m. today so that Public Works crews can carry out clean-up operations in the area. Please expect delays or detours in this area and please abide by ALL detour signage or barricades put in place around the work area.
(Issued at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024) Town of Bridgewater Public Works crews are currently on the road with two loaders and two trucks working to keep roads passable for emergency response calls at this time, as snow continues to fall.
We remind motorists to secure off-street parking and to avoid unnecessary travel.
Due to the forecasted long duration of this storm, with snow predicted to continue to accumulate through the day today and on Sunday, we also wish to advise that residents should expect that full clean-up of roads and sidewalks will take longer to complete than what would normally occur during a typical shorter-duration storm.
TRANSIT >>> (Issued at 7:55 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024) Bridgewater Transit is cancelled on Saturday due to accumulating snowfall and road conditions.
TRAVEL >>> (Issued at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024) the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works and NS RCMP are asking Nova Scotians to avoid any unecessary travel at this time due to deteriorating road conditions.
WASTE COLLECTION UPDATE >>> Per the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre, waste collection rescheduled from January 29, 2024, in Bridgewater and the Municipality of Lunenburg is still scheduled to take place Saturday, February 3. The Recycling Centre is scheduled to open 8 a.m. to 12 noon.Questions about collection? Call Waste Hotline at 1-855-530-3324.
WINTER PARKING ALERT >>> (Issued at 8:10 a.m. on February 3, 2024, and in effect for February 3 and 4, 2024) The Town of Bridgewater wishes to remind motorists that there is NO parking permitted on streets during and after a winter storm under Section 139 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
During last week's snowfall, Bridgewater Police Service issued more than 30 tickets to vehicles illegally parked during and after the storm while snow-clearing operations were taking place.
Parking a vehicle on the street during and after a storm will obstruct necessary winter maintenance and is a safety hazard. If you leave your vehicle parked on the street during a storm, it could be ticketed and towed at your expense without warning. Please ensure you find off-street parking for your vehicle during and after the storm as clean-up operations take place.
LCLC >>> There have been storm-related impacts to Lunenburg County Lifetstyle Centre (LCLC) programming today. For updated info, please visit https://www.facebook.com/lclcns.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT IN EFFECT >>> (Issued at 4:01 PM AST Friday, February 2, 2024) -- Per our colleagues at Environment and Climate Change Canada, a period of prolonged winter weather will impact Nova Scotia into early next week.
SUMMARY
Locations: Most of Nova Scotia
Time span: Friday evening until Monday.
Total snowfall amount in Lunenburg County: 20 to 40 cm
Remarks: A prolonged period of snow is expected across the province tonight and into Monday. Highest amounts are expected over central and eastern Nova Scotia however areas west and north could experience 20 to 40 cm from tonight to Monday.
Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.
Additionally, increasing northeast winds could result in reduced visibility in blowing snow over exposed areas tonight and into the weekend.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to
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Click here for detailed information on the Town of Bridgewater's snow clearing standards and what you can expect before, during, and after the storm.
IMPORTANT SNOW CLEARING AND STORM REMINDERS >>> There are about 70 kms of streets and 35 kms of sidewalks in Bridgewater, so cleaning up after a storm takes time. Be patient and, if possible, please stay off the roads until snow clearing has taken place. This makes it easier for plow operators and lessens the potential burden on emergency responders.
Roads are generally salted before a storm to deter the formation of a layer of ice on asphalt below snow cover.
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 that 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.
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.
CLOSED STREETS -- If you encounter a street that has been barricaded/closed to traffic so that snow removal can take place, do NOT drive past the barricade and use that street. Travelling on streets that have been closed for snow removal is hazardous to both you and snow-clearing operators, and you may not be able to exit the work area at the other end. Please abide by street closures for snow removal and change your travel route accordingly.
SERVICE LEVELS -- Please note that the service levels described here are based on a typical winter snowfall of 15 to 20 cm. For larger storms, or storms where freezing rain/ice are mixed in, additional post-storm cleanup time will be required. Please be patient, safe, and only make essential trips out while storm-clearing operations are taking place.
Clearing your property -- Do not move or plow snow from your property on to a street or sidewalk. Not only is that not helpful to drivers and pedestrians alike, it's actually a violation of Section 318 of the Municipal Government Act. Under the rules in that section, no person shall deposit snow or ice on the travelled way of a street or near a portion of the travelled way that hinders clearing efforts. That regulation extends to citizens and private contractors who have been hired to conduct snow-related property maintenance.
If you're putting out your compost cart or waste bags for pick up, please ensure that those items are not placed on the sidewalk or in a manner that could impede snow clearing or pedestrian traffic.
Plow It Forward -- If you can help out a neighbour or volunteer to clear a fire hydrant, it helps your community and our snow-clearing crews. Did you know there are about 500 fire hydrants in Bridgewater? Every hydrant our community can clear is a big help to our snow-clearing crews!