Winter Walking and Cycling

[danbrotherston]

Here's what I put wherever additional comments were an option: "The City should be responsible for clearing all sidewalks within 24 hours of a major snow event regardless of whose property this fronts.  If the City plows all sidewalks, it will make it easier for new sidewalks to be accepted in existing neighbourhoods.  If roads and bike trails are also being plowed, why should pedestrians be third class?  Or should we go back to the way it used to be and have all property owners responsible for clearing and maintaining the road in front of their house too?"

I mean, I like most of this, but I'm not sure it's complete. First, "major snow event" is like a technical thing the city declares and doesn't include all snowfall, or even all accumulation.

Second, the "within 24 hours" isn't actually a good standard. It one (of many) reasons the bylaw fails. We get snowfall that lasts 2, 3, even 4 days...now you're saying sidewalks can remain blocked for 5 days straight...and more, the road plow comes around after and refills all the windrows.

I think what you probably meant (and frankly, is a pretty normal and reasonable request) the city should plow the sidewalks, the same way they plow the roads...we already have policies and processes for this, if you want to work on creating a new priority list for sidewalks that differs slightly from the road plowing priorities, that's just icing on the cake...