How this B.C. city uses GPS to let residents know when the snowplow will visit

If you’ve ever been waiting for your road to be plowed, you’re not alone. Moving a car parked on the roadway or knowing when is the best time to head out and run errands on a snowy day is something you may wonder about when roads become icy and slick.

The City of Surrey has come up with a way to let residents know when and where the snowplows will be doing their work.

Thanks to GPS tracking devices on the City’s snowplows, people in Surrey can know when to expect clear roads. Surrey still uses a priority method to determine where to plow first in a similar model used in Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.

.@cityofkamloops we need this app so I know when to move the car prior to the plow showing up pic.twitter.com/BOPewGYgzH

— Kamscan (@Kamscan) January 14, 2020

In Kamloops and the largest Okanagan cities, main arterial roads with frequent traffic are usually the first to get serviced. Next are the traffic areas in school and bus zones, roads with steep slopes, and town centres, often followed by residential streets and then lanes and cul de sacs. 

Often there is a time frame by which the snowplows are expected but the time frame windows can be a few hours long and may be delayed due to bad conditions.

For people in Surrey, all they have to do is check out this online map to know exactly where the snowplows are.

Check out maps of road clearing priorities for Kamloops, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Penticton by clicking the links. For information on Vernon’s snow clearing priorities, click here.

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