City of Kitchener advises residents of challenging winter road conditions due to continuing snow fall
The City of Kitchener is asking residents to exercise patience and travel according to current weather and road conditions.
Since November, a series of weather systems have significantly increased the demand for the City’s winter maintenance operations. These frequent weather events have required crews to be deployed repeatedly and for extended periods, placing pressure on both staff and resources. Despite these challenges, the City remains committed to maintaining safe and reliable winter road services that meet Ministry of Transportation standards.
Snow response
When snowfall of 8 cm or more is forecasted, the City can declare a snow event. This activates a parking ban and initiates a full plow of City streets and roadways.
Based on a five-year average, Kitchener typically experiences five snow events from November through April annually.
This winter, Kitchener’s first full plow response occurred on November 9, with the first snow event following on November 27. As of January 21, seven snow events have been declared, resulting in greater demand on City staff, equipment, and resources like sand and road salt.
Plowing priority
Snow plows service each road in Kitchener based on priority levels that help ensure emergency services, transit and residents have reliable transportation routes throughout the city:
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Priority 1 (P1) roads are main or arterial roads with GRT bus routes. All P1 routes are maintained until complete.
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Priority 2 (P2) roads include steep hills, sharp curves and GRT bus routes. Work on P2 streets begins only after P1 streets have been completed.
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Priority 3 (P3) roads include all remaining residential and back streets. Work on P3 routes starts only after P1 and P2 routes have been completed.
Changing road conditions
This year’s increased number of snow events and winter weather operational needs has required staff to enhance salt conservation efforts. Residents may observe the following differences on local roads this winter:
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Increased use of sand rather than salt on P1 and P2 roads.
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Dustier road surfaces due to sand application.
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More snow‑packed conditions on back streets and residential routes, where plowing will remain the primary method of maintenance on P3 roads with minimal road salt application.
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Reduced incidence of “bare and wet” pavement, which typically results from salt treatment.
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P1 and P2 roads more often appearing “track bare,” where wheel paths clear but full bare pavement is less common.
The City of Kitchener appreciates residents’ understanding and cooperation as crews continue to manage these challenging winter conditions. We also extend our gratitude to roads, parks and fleet maintenance teams across the region for their ongoing dedication to helping residents travel safely in our community.
Contact Us
City of Kitchener
200 King Street West,
Kitchener, Ontario
Telephone: 519-741-2345,
TTY: 1-866-969-9994
mailto:info@kitchener.ca