Mayor Mandel apologizes to Edmontonians

Two and a half weeks after Edmonton was hit with a wallop of winter weather, Mayor Mandel apologized to Edmontonians.

In a press conference on Friday morning, the mayor said the city needs to improve residential snow clearing, and let citizens know when their neighbourhoods will be cleared.

"We need to do a better job." he said "It's got to be incredibly frustrating for citizens trying to get out of their neighbourhoods, and getting stuck time and time again."

The city received more than 18,000 calls to the 311 information line about snow clearing between January 6th and January 26th. That number is said to be a record amount of feedback on a civic issue to the 311 line.

It is estimated that the city will spend $10 million on snow removal for the month of January, which is double the cost snow removal for an average January in Edmonton.

According to the mayor, snow clearing problems have little to do with funds, and more to do with poor planning on the part of the city. At Friday's press conference, he promised change.

"Our policy failed, and that's what we need to correct."

An improved snow clearing schedule has been posted on the city's website, and all residents will now be able to find out when their neighbourhoods are scheduled for clearing. Previously, some areas were listed as TBD or not listed on the schedule at all.

According to transportation general manager Bob Boutilier, 61 of 270 communities have now been bladed, and residential blading will be completed by February 5th.

Boutilier also promised that grading crews would not be pulled off residential roads to clear arterial routes, like thay have been twice in the last month, until residential clearing is complete.

"The graders will stay in the neighbourhoods until the job is done. We're not pulling them out again." he said.

City council will also be working on an emergency plan for snow removal during extreme snow storms.

The snow clearing schedule is available on the city's website.

With files from Laurel Clark and The Edmonton Journal.