Edmonton’s 1st parking ban of season ends - but a Christmas snowfall could trigger another - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

The City of Edmonton wrapped up its first Phase 1 seasonal parking ban of the winter on Monday, but another one could be declared over the holidays. The parking ban on major roads and bus routes lasted for five days - within the expected time frame - but snow removal crews did have to battle some extra challenges. Some drivers failing to move their vehicles off roads with seasonal parking ban signs on them was an issue snow removal crews dealt with. “We will plow around you, which means you will get a windrow around your vehicle,” said Valerie Dacyk with the city’s snow removal department. “It’s a little difficult, but that’s what we have to do if vehicles remain on the road.” The city said 113 tickets were issued for obstructing seasonal parking ban lanes, one warning was issued and a dozen other vehicles were towed. “We do know that when it gets colder, it’s harder for people to move vehicles, especially vehicles that have been sitting for a while. So we did see some non-compliance in areas like that.” Drivers who fail to comply with a parking ban face a $250 ticket - something the city would rather avoid handing out. Get daily National news Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy . “We do still request residents put an effort in when parking bans do happen as it makes everything more efficient and clear for everybody,” Dacyk said. The seasonal parking ban started on Wednesday, Dec.17, but then on Friday, another smaller snowfall forced crews to retrace their steps and redo areas that had previously been cleared. Crews also had to battle a thick layer of ice under the snow that had formed thanks to freezing rain before the temperatures dropped and more substantial snowfall arrived. After removing that, crews have been laying down a mixture of sand and salt to help improve traction for drivers. About 200 snowplows were involved in the Phase 1 ban, which saw snow cleared from major arterials, collector roads, bus routes and roads within business improvement areas. The city said it’s assessing windrows in Edmonton’s 634 school zones. For school zones with large windrows, heavy equipment will stack and remove snow to ensure safety when school resumes. Street parking in those zones is prohibited while the work is ongoing and will be indicated by temporary “no parking” signs. Parking may resume after the school zone clearing is completed. The school zone clearing operations will run daily from Monday, Dec. 22 to Jan. 4, 2026. The city said is not activating a Phase 2 parking ban for residential and industrial roads at this time, however another parking ban may come soon as a big snowfall is forecasted over Christmas. “Residential parking bans, or Phase 2 parking bans, are called when we have severe safety concerns or greater than up to 10 centimetres of snow pack,” Dacyk said, adding up until last week, Edmonton did not have conditions close to that - but now...

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