Red Deer crews have worked around the clock plowing residential areas and other City streets since last week’s snowfall, officials have said.

As of Monday, Tara Shand, the City’s public information officer, said 75% of residential roads have been plowed.

“Crews made great progress on roads over the weekend. They did it even despite the cold weather,” she said. “They are continuing to plow residential streets this week. Crews have been working around the clock and I think they are doing their very best to make it through the City as best as they can, as fast as they can.

“The goal was to make the roads passable and safe and that was our priority and I think they are doing that.”

Shand is reminding residents that parked vehicles are making it difficult for crews to plow some streets in Red Deer. In some cases, crews must defer plowing certain streets, as too many vehicles on the road make it impossible to plow.

“With equipment as large as our graders and plows are, we simply can’t reach some streets. Too many parked cars force our operators to bypass some streets, which then have to be plowed at a later time. As a result, it’s taking us longer to finish all residential neigbourhoods.”

Residents are once again reminded to move their vehicles off residential streets in order for crews to quickly and effectively plow the above-average snowfall from roads.

Lanes are being cleared ahead of the neighbourhood streets, so residents can more easily park on their back parking pads. Alternatively, drivers are encouraged to temporarily park on bus routes and streets adjacent to schools that have already been cleared.

Shand said a call centre has been up and running and she encourages residents with questions or concerns regarding residential plowing to phone.

“We have residents who have been fantastic and who have been moving their vehicles and doing their very best to help us and we certainly appreciate that,” she said. “We have been doing our best to keep people notified of when crews are going to be in their area and I think people appreciate having the notification. But this is a really unique situation and it can be frustrating for people that have been navigating those roads that haven’t yet been plowed.”

For more information regarding the residential plowing call 403-342-8238.

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com