The City of Grande Prairie has added an automated snow clearing and ice control robot to its fleet for use on the City’s trail network.

Residents can expect to see the City pilot the robot on the trail around the Bear Creek reservoir, with the expectation of eventually having the robot plow, sand, and salt all Muskoseepi Park Trails.

The RT-1000 made by Left Hand Robotics is a fully autonomous snow-clearing robot that can clear up to 25 km of the trail on one tank of fuel and is equipped with an attachment that allows for autonomous sanding and salting.

All gravel road bans within the City of Grande Prairie have been lifted.

The City thanks residents and commuters who abided by the gravel road bans and aided in protecting the integrity of our gravel road network.

The gravel road ban is announced annually during the spring when the snow melts to prevent excessive damage to gravel roads by heavy traffic loads.

The City of Grande Prairie will begin gravel road bans at 10 a.m. on November 20, 2019.

All gravel roads will be at 50 per cent axel weight 24 hours per day until further notice.

Road bans are a standard practice for the City, aimed at protecting gravel roads in the region. The City of Grande Prairie may issue road bans during construction, regular maintenance, or due to special seasonal circumstances such as spring melt or above average weather conditions.

The list of affected roads are as follows:

A two-week round of residential snow clearing has been activated and will begin on Wednesday, November 13.

Residential snow clearing begins when activated by the City with consideration of snow accumulations and upcoming weather conditions. It occurs in two-week rotations and is completed by contracted snow removal crews from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Residential snow clearing occurs on weekdays in the following neighbourhoods:

The intersection of Resources Road and 68 Avenue will be a temporary four-way stop beginning at 9 am on Wednesday, August 28.

Motorists and pedestrians are reminded to be alert and travel with caution through the intersection.

The temporary four-way stop is due to regular maintenance to a traffic cabinet near Resources Road and 68 Avenue. The disruption is expected to last no longer than 5 hours.

Ongoing wet weather has prolonged a fireblight outbreak in Grande Prairie’s urban forest. 

City crews are finishing the first round of pruning on public trees and inspectors are now moving into inspecting private trees.

In residential areas, inspectors are largely able to diagnose trees by looking from streets or alleyways, but will make an effort to contact home or property owners if a closer inspection is required. Inspectors have authority under the Agricultural Pests Act to enter private land at any reasonable hour to inspect trees.

The City of Grande Prairie has launched a Snow and Ice Control Satisfaction Survey ahead of a scheduled review of the policy for Snow and Ice Control.

The survey launched on June 24 and is designed to gauge City resident’s satisfaction with Snow & Ice Control, as well as determine if there is a desire to increase, maintain, or decrease the allocated funds for the service.

In the survey, residents can expect to respond to questions regarding:

Seasonal street sweeping operations continue throughout the City of Grande Prairie in May and June.

Crews will street sweep priority 2 routes and transit bus routes in May, the operation is anticipated to take the entire month. Street sweeping crews will then move into residential areas for the month of June.

The City activated street sweeping operations at the beginning of April after the majority of spring melt had occurred and road conditions were dry and favourable for the most effective use of sweeping equipment.

Below are the daily snow clearing updates for the week of March 4 to 8, 2019:

Friday, March 8, 2019

• City crews are picking up windrows from paved lanes and picking up snow piles from cul-de-sacs.
• Crews are also clearing culverts, opening catch basins in preparations for the expected warmer weather.
• Crews are also clearing City-owned sidewalks and trails.
• Residential snow clearing is not in effect and parking bans are not in effect at this time.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

February 15, 2019

Residential snow clearing continues in Friday's neighbourhoods. They are Gateway, Royal Oaks, Arbour Hills, Northridge, Crystal Heights, Lakeland, Crystal Lake, and Copperwood.

City crews are plowing priority 1 and 2 routes and will continue for the duration of the weekend.

Ice control crews are sanding the priority 1 and 2 routes.

City crews are hauling windrows from priority 2 routes and clearing snow piles from cul-de-sacs in residential areas. 

Parking bans are still in effect on all permanent snow routes.