The possibility of sustained snowfall coming to Kamloops by the end of the work week may provide the City its first opportunity to test a new operational strategy for road clearing.

In a bid to try to be more efficient along the high-traffic routes, while also more ‘equitable’ for property owners, the City’s Civic Operations department intends to keep its fleet of large-scale snow removal vehicles away from cul-de-sacs in Upper Sahali.

Instead of sending in bladed sand trucks, graders and loaders, a the City intends to send smaller-scale snow clearing devices into the dozens of cul-de-sacs which make up the Kamloops neighborhood.

Normally used by the City’s Parks department to keep sidewalks and bus stops clear from snow, the City intends to use smaller machines, such as bobcat-like plows, along with shovel-fronted pick-ups and sidewalk cleaners will instead through the dead-end roads in Upper Sahali after a significant snowfall.

Civic Operations Assistant Manger Joe Luison, as part of an update to Kamloops councilors ahead of the winter season, says part of the challenge crews face in clearing residential streets with the larger equipment is the windrows the big trucks leave behind.

“We recognize that large trucks in small cul-de-sacs don’t do the most effective job, because generally they don’t disperse the snow as evenly to all the residents,” noted Luison.

Due to logistical challenges with the bigger equipment — which require operators to use certain techniques to clear out the snow — certain properties along cul-de-sacs can find themselves inundated by massive windrows, while others along the same stretch may end up with much less plowed snow to cope with.

But even with the smaller, more concise machinery from the Parks department being put into service on the routes, those living along Upper Sahali cul-de-sacs shouldn’t expect a free pass from shoveling.

“Our goal is not to clear the windrows for the residents in cul-de-sacs.  Our service level says everybody gets a windrow,” warned Luison, who suggests the new program is also hoping to create efficiencies.  “It’s a more even dispersal, so we can get the big trucks back on the main roads, instead of having the fleet sitting stationary.”

The City’s snow clearing budget is set at $1.9 million, but can be increased should Kamloops go through a challenging winter.

If the pilot on Upper Sahali cul-de-sacs proves effective through the winter, the City’s Streets department — recently amalgamated with the Parks department on a management level —  could begin expanding the pilot program’s reach into other neighborhoods.

There are 534 cul-de-sacs spread across Kamloops.

Despite the attention being given to residential neighborhoods through the pilot project, the City’s road clearing priorities during snow remain the major stretches like Columbia, Fortune and the Summit Connector.

“Our goal is to maintain bare wheel paths in one lane as long as possible during snow events and to regain bare wheel paths within 4 hours of the completion of a snow event,” said the City of its arterial roads strategy.

A similar goal during the snowfall is also maintained along bus routes and other ‘collector’ roads, such as Ord, Springhill and Lethbridge in North Kamloops, but with expectations of getting them cleared within 16 hours after the snow stops.

Residential streets, then cul-de-sacs, round out the priority list for the City.

“Our goal is to sand or plow residential streets as necessary within 36 hours of the end of a snowfall,” said the City as part of its snow clearing program, noting the higher speed, higher volume routes are always the focus.  “As long as snow continues to fall, City crews will continue to address arterial roads for emergency vehicles and most traffic before moving onto the lower priority roads.”