Parking ban to end 1 day earlier than thought, residential areas to be assessed: city

The city of Edmonton ended its parking ban for major roadways a day earlier than thought on Sunday morning due to "operational efficiencies."

The City of Edmonton is ending its parking ban for major roadways and does not plan on calling another for residential areas.

The Phase 1 parking ban will end Sunday at 7 a.m. It was first implemented on Wednesday after Edmonton saw its first snowstorm in weeks.

The ban was originally meant to last up to five days, a news release said, but is ending a day early because of “operational efficiencies implemented during the response.”

The city had contracted extra equipment on top of its own truck plows and graders before Tuesday’s dump of snow, a change from the status quo of waiting to see whether additional supports would be needed after snow had already hit the ground.

Crews will now look at all residential areas and begin work to groom and level driving lanes as needed to lessen the impact of snow ruts. Plows will also work on alleys and lanes in those areas where necessary.

The city plans to sand entrances and high-risk intersections of neighbourhoods.

Service levels dictate that snowpack must be greater than five centimetres before a widespread cleanup of residential roads – and a residential parking ban – is called. The city said the snowpack is currently below that threshold and is expected to stay there.

Work in residential areas is expected to last up to two weeks.