For those of us in our shorts and t-shirts walking around the town these past few days, we are in for a shock.  Recent weather reports show that we are due for a return of old man winter this coming Friday with approximately 10 cms of snow.

Over the holidays there was a lot of confusion as to snow plowing on the streets in our ward.  While I was on vacation in Newfoundland for Christmas, I answered a number of emails from people concerned as to when their streets would be plowed.  I think it would be good to review the snow removal policies in advance of this potential storm.  Now, watch there be NO snow on Friday and I look silly.  But at least we will have the information available right?

Click on the map to enlarge it.  This is from the Town of Milton’s site and Ive just put up ward 6.  If you are outside ward 6 click here for the main map.  The streets in our area are classified for different priorities.

The primary or arterial roads (for example in our ward Thompson Road, Fourth Line, Derry Road, Britannia Road) are considered first priority and the plows are sent out based on accumulation.  For instance if we receive under 5 cms of snow or the conditions are icy, the response time will be within 2-3 hours.  If there is 5 to 30 cm of accumulation, the response time will be 2 to 4 hours.

A majority of the roads in our ward will be secondary / collector roads or urban / residential roads (Yellow and Blue on the map)

The response time for 5cms and below of accumulation is 4 to 5 hours and above 5cms is 4 to 10 hours for the secondary collector roads and 8 to 16 hours for many of the residential roads in ward 6.  If you live in a cul-de-sacs it will be a bit longer once the accumulation reaches over 5cms. 

The main priority of the snow plows is to keep the main streets and collector roads as bare as possible.  Its also very important for those residents who have sidewalks to keep them clear as quickly as possible during the snow fall and afterwards.

Here are some links for detailed information on our snow policy.  Just as a reminder to allow for the plow.  Try to keep your cars off the road as to allow for the snow plow to come by without creating issues with snow piles or potentially damaging any vehicles.

Town of Milton Snow Page

Road Plowing Response Times

Now the snow might not come as its being predicted by all of our very nice weather people but in case it does here’s your handy page for information.

Now Im going to get my snow pants ready for Friday!

I’ll see you at the doors.

The Town of Milton has announced new fares for Miton Transit for 2012.  They can be found here.  Included in the link will be locations where you can purchase your transit tickets and passes.

Effective January 1, 2012 the cost for a cash ride for adults and seniors will be $ 3.00.  Adult 10 ticket pass will be $ 24.00 and $ 64.00 for a monthly pass.  Seniors will see the cost of 10 tickets be at $ 17.00 and a monthly pass $ 45.00.

Children under 6 will be free.  Children 6-18 years old (need school ID) will be $ 17.00 for 10 tickets and $ 45.00 for the monthly pass.

For GO Riders, the cost per ride will be $ 0.60 and a monthly pass will cost $ 24.00

If you have any further questions please email transit@milton.ca

Today would have been Sir John A Macdonalds 197th birthday.  Happy Birthday to Canada’s FIRST Prime Minister.

From Wikipedia

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC (Can), QC (11 January 1815 – 6 June 1891) was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century. Macdonald served 19 years as Canadian Prime Minister; only William Lyon Mackenzie King served longer.

Macdonald was born in Scotland; when he was a boy his family emigrated to Kingston, Upper Canada (today in eastern Ontario). He articled with a local lawyer, who died before Macdonald qualified, and Macdonald opened his own practice, although not yet entitled to do so. He was involved in several high-profile cases and quickly became prominent in Kingston, which enabled him to seek and obtain a legislative seat in 1844. He served in the legislature of the colonial Province of Canada and by 1857 had become premier under the colony’s unstable political system.

When in 1864 no party proved capable of governing for long, Macdonald agreed to a proposal from his political rival, George Brown, that the parties unite in a Great Coalition to seek federation and political reform. Macdonald was the leading figure in the subsequent discussions and conferences, which resulted in the British North America Act and the birth of Canada as a nation on 1 July 1867.

Macdonald was designated as the first Prime Minister of the new nation, and served in that capacity for most of the remainder of his life, losing office for five years in the 1870s over the Pacific Scandal (bribery in the financing of the Canadian Pacific Railway). After regaining his position, he saw the railroad through to completion in 1885, a means of transportation and freight conveyance that helped unite Canada as one nation. Macdonald is credited with creating a Canadian Confederation despite many obstacles, and expanding what was a relatively small colony to cover the northern half of North America. By the time of his death in 1891, Canada had secured most of the territory it occupies today.