When it snows, the City clears more than 542 lane km of roads - over four priority one routes and three priority two routes. To accomplish this, crews work 24 hours, seven days a week. Our goal is to provide the highest level of service at the lowest cost.

Crews begin plowing when snow has accumulated to five centimetres and/or drifting has occurred. Winter materials are applied to roads after they are plowed, with emphasis on intersections, corners, hills, school zones, playground zones and other known problem areas. The materials used are environmentally safe and depend on road and weather conditions. 

The City of Airdrie has launched an interactive road conditions map, so the public can view which roads have been plowed and when they were last cleared. 

View road conditions map

Sign up for road notifications through myAIRDRIE

Roads are addressed based on a priority system to ensure the highest traffic roadways are maintained first. Priorities are established to provide the greatest benefit to the majority of the travelling public.

Priority 1: Arterial roads

Arterial roads are generally multi-lane roads such as Main Street, 8 Street, East Lake Boulevard, Veterans Boulevard, Yankee Valley Boulevard.

School zones on school days are also included in the priority 1 snow clearing level.

Priority 2: Collector roads

Collector roads are the main feeder roads into residential communities such as Meadowbrook Drive, Kings Heights Boulevard and Reunion Gateway.

Priority 3: Rural roads

Rural roads such as Township Road 264, Range Road 291 and Township Road 274

Priority 4: City facilities

City owned parking lots such as fire halls, arenas, Town and Country Centre and parks.

Priority 5: Residential roads

• Plowing occurs when the road is rendered impassable or in extenuating circumstances.
• Snow is plowed to boulevards or to the side of the road.
• Residents are responsible for clearing windrows left by equipment in front of their driveway entrances.
• Residents are not permitted to place the snow removed from sidewalks and driveways onto the roadway or on any public space.

Snow clearing priority route map (PDF) 

• Park your vehicles off street if you live on a priority 1 or 2 road. This allows the Roads department to push the snow as far to the curb as possible, creating the greatest width of cleared roadway.
• Shovel snow to the right of your driveway to reduce the amount deposited in front of your driveway by the snow plow.
• Clear adjacent sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours after the snow stops falling.
• Chip away at the ice that builds up in the gutter. When the snow begins to melt, it can run to the storm drain and cause a backup of water on to the sidewalk that can refreeze and be dangerous.
• Stay back at least 10m from plow trucks and do not pass the plow truck when it is plowing and/or sanding as material and road debris may damage your car.