Urban Shocker
Doyenne
Lately, I've been putting sand down, as well as salt, when the temperature's very low. It makes a lovely crunchy texture.
Don't tell this wonderful proposal to a certain faction of entertainment software enthusiasts...See link on
Why Sweden Clears Snow-Covered Walkways Before Roads
In Swedish cities, the approach to snow removal used to be pretty similar to the way it is in the United States.
First cities would plow major highways. Then they would plow big surface streets, especially near large employers. Last, they would clear walkways and bike paths.
But after analyzing government services through a process known as “gender-balanced budgeting,” many Swedish cities, including Stockholm, prioritize snow clearance very differently. They now clear walkways and bike paths first, especially those near bus stops and primary schools. Next, they clear local roads, and then, finally, highways.
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions explains it all in this English-language video:
An analysis of Sweden’s snow clearance practices showed that it disadvantaged women, who were more likely to walk, while employment districts where men predominantly worked were more likely to have streets plowed first.
Not only was the impact of snow clearance priorities discriminatory, there were negative consequences for society as a whole. Three times as many people are injured while walking in icy conditions in Sweden than while driving. And the cost of those injuries far exceeds the cost of snow clearance.
So the order was reversed. Municipalities faced no additional cost for clearing pedestrian paths first. And it reduced injuries, in addition to being objectively fairer.
Now Canadian officials are interested in importing the idea of gender-balanced budgeting, the CBC reports (link), which is expected to be a hot topic when world leaders gather in Davos this week.
Exactly a city sidewalk is not our property therefore we should not be forced or held responsible to remove snow or ice. Such laws should be removed actually.I don't like the requirement that you also have to salt/sand the sidewalk in front of your home if necessary to remove ice. It's one thing to require people to spend a couple of minutes shovelling the sidewalk in front of their homes; it's another thing to force people to go to the store and spend money on materials to maintain the sidewalk that isn't even their property.
You seem to further advanced that most of us with winter preparations! The 2019 budget has no $$ for more sidewalk snow clearing. The 2020 budget is not yet introduced or passed. Clearly adding more sidewalk clearing costs $$ so I doubt it will happen, though it clearly should. Other cities either clear all or clear none and buildings downtown pay private contractor to clear their sidewalks so their taxes might go up but their overall snow-removal costs would fall as clearing a whole street is FAR cheaper than clearing x buildings separately In many suburbs the City takes away 'private leaves' so maybe swap snow for leaves!What's the situation on sidewalk snow clearing in the older parts of Toronto? Are the suburban councillors still against the downtown councillors when it comes to the plowing of snow off the sidewalks?
Right now? Not so bad.What's the situation on sidewalk snow clearing in the older parts of Toronto?
Hello from 10 years later where I have not figured out whether this refers to the public sidewalks most of us downtown are tasked with clearing. You'd think with such a high number of people living on streets where we are legally required to clear our own snow, there would be some more formal guidance in terms of where to stick it. The snow, that is.Thanks for that. But when they say "Do not push snow from your property back onto the street." Does "your property" include the sidewalk outside your house? As in pushing snow from the sidewalk onto the road?
This morning snowfall (Tuesday, February 16, 2021) was the biggest for the year (so far). Shows us how the city treats pedestrians as second class citizens (more like peasants). The streets were plowed, and even getting a second go. However, the snow windrows are dumped onto the sidewalks and corners, forcing pedestrians to mountain climb.
Accessibility for wheelchairs or walkers? Forget about it.
Until we get councillors who do not put their fingers in their ears when there is talk of pedestrians and accessibility, things will continue to be difficult to be improved for pedestrians and sidewalk snow clearing.
We need these https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-new...e-of-a-kind-wheelchair-snow-plow-607000643854Accessibility for wheelchairs or walkers? Forget about it.