Crews focus on major roads as snow blankets Edmonton

Snow then very cold Edmonton saw its first significant snowfall of the winter on Tuesday before temperatures are expected to plummet. Nicole Weisberg explains.

Snow-clearing crews are focusing on major roadways on Tuesday after Edmonton experienced its first major snowfall this winter.

Roads like Whitemud Drive and Yellowhead Trail are the City of Edmonton's priority, followed by collector and bus routes, and industrial areas.

"The first strategy for the roadways is getting traction material down just so we can keep vehicles moving safely," Valerie Dacyk, City of Edmonton general supervisor of infrastructure field operations, told CTV News Edmonton.

"Our target is five days for everything, but you will see them be cleared in that order."

Crews will begin to clear residential roads once there is a five-to-10 centimetre snowpack.

Dacyk asked people to drive to road conditions and give crews room to clear the roads.

"Snow is going to accumulate on the roadway, so just give yourself a little bit extra time, a little bit extra space and we'll get out there and make them clear as soon as possible."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg