To make provincial highways safer for users, the new Provincial Government is bringing back 24-hour snow clearing on the busiest roads in Newfoundland and Labrador. This means that once staff have been recruited, snowplows will be working around the clock from December to March each year to keep these main routes clear and safe, especially during bad weather.

Right now, workers are only called in when conditions are bad. By hiring more staff, the Provincial Government will be able to add an overnight shift so that snow clearing happens all night long, not just during regular hours. This change will help improve safety as crews are continuously mobilized.

Many drivers have said that this is an important issue in their daily commutes. People who travel on our roads and highways at all hours of the day have also said that there are times when the roads are not safe. The Provincial Government is acting quickly to meet this need with recruitment for Heavy Equipment Maintenance Operators already underway. Job postings can be found here. We encourage qualified equipment operators to apply.

This plan supports other winter preparations, such as hiring over 450 seasonal operators and staff, buying $38 million worth of salt and sand for all 67 depots, and getting the fleet of 551 snowplows and loaders ready for winter. Plus, 44 new plow trucks are being built to replace older vehicles and will arrive in the coming months, further improving highway safety throughout the province.

A list of the routes can be found in the backgrounder below.

The changeover to the winter season also presents an opportunity to remind the motoring public to be winter ready. Motorists should slow down and adjust their driving habits to be prepared for changes in weather, icy patches, slushy sections, snow-covered sections and poor visibility. It is recommended that motorists should:

• Check nl511.ca or the 511 smartphone app for highway driving conditions and the Provincial Plow Tracker before travelling.
• Check the latest Environment Canada forecasts.
• Slow down and drive to conditions.

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“Throughout the campaign, our government made safer communities one of the main tenets of our platform, including road safety. With our winter maintenance preparations underway, we are pleased to deliver on our promise by beginning the recruitment process for staff so we can reinstate 24-hour snow clearing, seven days a week, on the most travelled routes in our province. We listened to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, many of whom live in rural regions, and we are working on making our province safer for all of us.”
Honourable Barry Petten
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

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BACKGROUNDER

Most Travelled Routes in Province

Avalon Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Logy Bay Road to Foxtrap (includes the Outer Ring Road)
• Route 1 (TCH) – Foxtrap to Whitbourne
• Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive/CBS Bypass/Peacekeeper’s Way) — New Gower Street to Seal Cove
• Route 3A (Team Gushue Highway — TCH to Topsail Road
• Route 75 (Veterans Memorial Highway) — TCH to Carbonear

Eastern Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Whitbourne to Clarenville

Central Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Gander to Grand Falls Windsor
• Route 350 (Botwood Highway) — TCH to Botwood

Western Region

• Route 1 (TCH) — Deer Lake to Stephenville (Exit 3 — Route 460, White’s Road)
• Route 430 (Great Northern Peninsula Highway) — Deer Lake to Rocky Harbour (through Gros Morne National Park — Parks Canada Jurisdiction)
• Route 450/450A (Lewin Parkway/Ring Road)
• Route 460 (Port au Port Highway) — TCH to the Stephenville Cold Brook Depot