Government announces plans to reinstate 24-hour snow clearing, for some

The provincial government is bringing back 24-hour snow clearing on the busiest roads in the province.

Once staff have been recruited, snowplows will work 24 hours per day from December to March.

Currently, employees are only called in when conditions are bad.

Routes included are:

Avalon Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Logy Bay Road to Foxtrap (includes the Outer Ring Road)

• Route 1 (TCH) – Foxtrap to Whitbourne

• Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive/CBS Bypass/Peacekeeper’s Way) — New Gower Street to Seal Cove

• Route 3A (Team Gushue Highway — TCH to Topsail Road

• Route 75 (Veterans Memorial Highway) — TCH to Carbonear

Eastern Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Whitbourne to Clarenville

Central Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Gander to Grand Falls Windsor

• Route 350 (Botwood Highway) — TCH to Botwood

Western Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Deer Lake to Stephenville (Exit 3 — Route 460, White’s Road)

• Route 430 (Great Northern Peninsula Highway) — Deer Lake to Rocky Harbour (through Gros Morne National Park — Parks Canada Jurisdiction)

• Route 450/450A (Lewin Parkway/Ring Road)

• Route 460 (Port au Port Highway) — TCH to the Stephenville Cold Brook Depot

This plan supports other winter preparations, such as hiring over 450 seasonal operators and staff, buying $38 million worth of salt and sand for all 67 depots, and getting the fleet of 551 snowplows and loaders ready for winter. Plus, 44 new plow trucks are being built to replace older vehicles and will arrive in the coming months.