MTO, OPP gearing up for busy winter driving season
Posted November 15, 2022 12:55 pm.
Last Updated November 15, 2022 3:25 pm.
It might be hard to hear, but the winter driving season is here.
Ahead of the inevitable snowfall that will make it harder for motorists to get around, there are dozens of different agencies, police forces, regions, and municipalities that are preparing for the ice and snow ahead.
Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is the agency responsible for salting and clearing snow and ice on all 400-series highways in the GTA along with the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). The only exception is Highway 407 between Burlington and Markham which is handled by 407 ETR’s winter operations team.
An MTO combination truck, spreading salt or sand while plowing. (Ontario Ministry of Transportation)
Ahead of this coming winter season, the MTO tells CityNews it has made several changes to how it handles winter operations.
“In order to keep our roads as safe as possible this coming winter, we have strengthened oversight of our private contractors, added more maintenance equipment to our fleet and increased the proactive application of anti-icing liquids in advance of winter storms” the Ministry said in an email.
“[The] MTO currently has over 1,100 pieces of equipment across the province, ready to be deployed to keep our highways clear, even during harsh winter storms. We are continually reviewing our maintenance standards to find more ways we can carefully and deliberately improve winter maintenance operations.”
Provincial Police ready for a busy winter driving season
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are also getting ready for winter. OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt tells CityNews that during the wintertime, his officers work in tandem with many different partners to ensure the roads stay clear and safe.
“Being ready for winter is not just the OPP’s responsibility, but it’s all our emergency services. Fire, paramedics, road maintenance contractors, the towing operations, and all the snow plow operations as well” Schmidt told CityNews via phone.
“Working together with them, we have constant communication. The MTO Compass Centre is always monitoring roads and weather conditions and activating those plowing operations when it’s appropriate.”
But Schmidt also says one of his main responsibilities is to get the word out to make sure that motorists themselves are ready for winter driving.
“First and foremost, if we’re in a major winter event and the snow is still falling or the wind is still blowing, wait for that system to pass before you get out on the roads. The more traffic that’s out there, the more challenging it is for the road maintenance crews and the plow operators to clear that snow” Schmidt told CityNews.
He adds that it’s important for drivers to make sure they prepare their vehicles for winter and had a tip for anyone having difficulty handling the snow and ice.
“If you find yourself becoming stuck in snow, disable your traction control. That will get your tires spinning and might give you that little extra push to get your vehicle moving down the road.”
Schmidt also says if you get into a collision, try your best to move out of lanes to avoid a secondary crash but if you can’t get moving, it’s best to wait for help to arrive.
“Stay in your car, stay protected. Call 9-1-1 if you’re blocking a lane and you can’t move. And have an emergency kit in your vehicle with a flashlight, pylons … a shovel, some boots and gloves.”
City of Toronto beefing up its snow clearing budget
The City of Toronto owns and maintains the Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, and Allen Expressway and is also responsible for clearing arterial roads, side streets, and, in some areas, sidewalks within its borders.
In an email to CityNews, the City says it has a fleet of 1,300 pieces of equipment and has increased its budget for winter maintenance operations from $89 million in 2022, to $109.5 million for 2023 which is subject to city council approval as part of the budgeting process.
A City of Toronto snow clearing vehicle working along King Street in 2022. (City of Toronto)
The City of Toronto tells CityNews that it has signed new contracts for snow removal for the 2022-23 season and has also adjusted its approach following the massive winter storm in January of 2022 which saw as much as 55 centimetres of snow fall in some areas.
That event was so crippling, it forced city crews to close the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway to clear stuck vehicles and get fleets of snow plows through.
“This extreme weather presented a number of challenges, and clearing took longer to complete than during a typical winter event. Wear and tear on equipment was higher causing more breakdowns and requiring additional maintenance to ensure the fleet remained active” city spokesperson Mike Hajmasy said via email.
“The City is committed to continuous improvement and has recently put significant focus on finding ways to enhance its winter service delivery on roads, bikeways and sidewalks … Outside of that winter storm, service levels were met and the in-house sidewalk clearing program was expanded to deliver sidewalk clearing through areas that were previously not serviced” Hajmasy said.
