Orillia crews working to widen roads, improve visibility after heavy snowfall

Road crews work to remove snowbanks after record snowfall in Orillia, Ont. (City of Orillia)

Orillia city crews are working to clear snowbanks and improve road conditions after a challenging winter, with a focus on widening streets and increasing visibility in key areas.

On Monday night, crews hauled away more than 200 truckloads of snow from Mississaga, Coldwater, Albert, and Andrew streets in the downtown area. Additional clearing took place Tuesday to complete the downtown snow removal efforts.

In the coming days, crews will focus on cutting back snowbanks along key arterial roads, including Front Street, Atherley Road, Laclie Street, Coldwater Road, West Street, Colborne Street, Memorial Avenue, University Avenue, Monarch Drive, and West Ridge Boulevard. The city is also identifying problem areas where roads have narrowed or where snowbanks are blocking visibility at intersections.

Under Orillia’s Winter Control Policy, snow removal efforts are prioritized in two stages. The first priority is downtown Orillia and major roads where snowbanks could pose a safety risk. The second focus is on residential areas, ensuring that travel lanes remain at least five metres wide.

The city is reminding residents to keep safety in mind during snow removal operations. People are urged to avoid climbing on snowbanks, as they may be unstable, and to keep children and pets away from roadways. Drivers should give snow removal equipment plenty of space and remain patient while crews work. If plows are clearing a residential street, vehicles should not be parked on the road until work is finished. Residents are also reminded that overnight street parking is prohibited from midnight to 7 a.m.