7.8 C
Niagara Falls
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Town’s new snowplow tracking service put to test with giant pre-Christmas storm
The promised massive winter storm roared into NOTL and many other communities across the country Friday. In NOTL, it is a good time to stay inside. But intrepid Lake Report photographer Dave Van de Laar ventured out to capture this image. Driving conditions were terrible, with numerous crashes reported by police. NOTL Hydro photo
It looks like it will be a white Christmas in NOTL as southern Ontario gets pounded by a major storm. NOTL Hydro photo
NOTL Hydro crews were busy dealing with dozens of outages all over town. Most power problems have been shortlived. Photo courtesy NOTL Hydro NOTL Hydro photo

The weather outside is indeed frightful and it’s a good time to stay inside.

And wait for the streets to be plowed.

If you’re wondering how Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake snowplow efforts are progressing, the municipality has launched a new interactive plow tracking software through Telus Focus Optimization.

You’ll find it at notl.focus511.com.

The service will help provide residents with information on snow removal services through real-time updates.

The system can monitor where salt and sand have been distributed, what roads and sidewalks have been cleared, and where snow plows have been within the past 30 minutes.

“I am excited to see this interactive snowplow tracker utilized for the community’s benefit,” Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said in a news release.

“Maintaining excellent customer service is what the town strives to achieve and this is another great way we are enhancing service levels and ensuring effective information sharing is provided during a snowstorm.”

The online map identifies:

  • Streets that have been salted/sanded.
  • Streets/sidewalks that have been cleared.
  • How long ago streets and sidewalks have been attended to.
  • If a street is primary, secondary, private or under another jurisdiction.

“With this GIS (geographic information system) software, the town can keep residents up-to-date as snow removal efforts are taking place,” said chief administrator Marnie Cluckie.

“This is another modernization project the town is proud to present to its residents.”

The interactive tracking map is also available on the town’s website through the following link: www.notl.com/town-services/roads-infrastructure/snow-procedures.

Town officials encouraged residents to utilize the new digital service to stay informed and up-to-date during future snow storms.

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