WMZ / Winter Maintenance Zone Sinage -Photo by Jon Tupper
FORT MCMURRAY — The RMWB’s Winter Maintenance Zone program is officially underway, but all subzones remain inactive until further notice.
That means on-street parking restrictions are not currently in effect.
The municipality is encouraging residents to prepare for winter by signing up for WMZ email alerts, checking their subzone and designated maintenance day, and removing personal items such as basketball and hockey nets or curb mats from streets and curbs.
Under the program, winter maintenance zones operate on an alternating-week schedule. Each subzone is active once every two weeks, meaning residents are typically required to move vehicles from the street twice a month.
When a subzone is active, on-street parking restrictions apply from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on its designated maintenance day.
Vehicles left in an active subzone, or in areas where temporary no-parking signs have been posted, can be ticketed and may be towed to the nearest lawful parking location.
The fine is $400, reduced to $240 if paid within seven days.
Priority routes, including busier streets that are not part of the WMZ program, receive maintenance more frequently.
Residents living on Priority One, Two or Three routes can generally leave vehicles parked on the street while plowing is underway because the roads are wide enough for equipment to work around them.
However, when crews are preparing to remove snow from priority routes, temporary no-parking signs will be posted 24 hours in advance. Vehicles must be removed once the restrictions take effect and remain off the street until the signs are taken down.
Residents can use the municipality’s Find Your Zone tool to determine whether their street is part of the WMZ program or a priority route.
Council approved changes to the Urban Snow and Ice Control Program Policy on Oct. 6 aimed at clearing streets more quickly, improving public information and reducing delays caused by illegally parked vehicles.
Comments