Roads & transportation

Roundabouts are an increasingly common feature in Cochrane and across Alberta. Understanding the rules ensures safe, efficient movement through these intersections

How to Use a Roundabout (PDF)

Highways 1A and 22 are provincial highways, which Volker Stevin maintains for Alberta Transportation. For more information, please call 1-888-877-6237 or visit Volker Stevin’s website.  

To qualify, you must provide proof of a permanent disabled parking placard and not have access to off-street parking. To request a disabled parking sign on a public street, please contact the Roads department.   

Snow plowing begins after three centimetres of snow accumulates, or when drifting snow impedes traffic movement. 

Priority is given to emergency routes. Unless roadways are rendered impassable, crews plow and sand designated priority routes on a regular basis.

These ridges are called windrows. Crews work to keep blocked driveways to a minimum, but there may be times when this is necessary to facilitate snow clearing. 

Plows need to travel at a minimum speed to throw the snow off to the side. While we try not to throw the snow any farther than necessary, in some cases, the sidewalks are too close to the curb to avoid getting snow on them. 

Operators are instructed to stay back from the curb to allow storm water to reach catch basins and prevent any damage to the curb and sodded areas.

If you park on a major arterial thoroughfare (for example, Quigley Drive or a residential collector route) during a snow event, there is a chance that a snowplow could pass and push snow around your car. If possible, please use off-street parking during snow storm cleanup

During the initial cleanup stage, the focus is to ensure all priority routes are plowed and sanded. For the crews to plow all the snow from one side of the street to the other, they need traffic control for safety reasons. We do that only when road conditions stabilize and staff is available .

Yes - Snow Removal Bylaw 01/2009.

Snow or ice deposited on sidewalk(s) in front of or bordering occupied premises is the responsibility of the premise's owner. The occupier must remove snow or ice from their portion of the sidewalk(s) within 48 of the snow or ice being deposited.

When possible, shovel snow and ice onto your property. According to the Snow Removal Bylaw, you can't move snow and ice from your driveway on to a street, highway or boulevard. Avoid impeding storm sewer or blocking access to any storm sewer grate or fire hydrant. 

Snow is cleared from paved municipal pathways only — not pathways with red shale.

When the weather permits, we clean paved streets and municipal parking lots. We take all practical measures to ensure the protection of the environment by reducing storm water pollutants from entering our local water courses through the storm sewer system.

Other reasons for winter sweeping include: 

• cleanliness
• dust control
• accident prevention (because of hazards caused by loose gravel) 
• faster cleanup in spring

• During a snowstorm, avoid parking along emergency routes, arterial thoroughfares and collectors.
• Exercise extreme care when driving in inclement weather. Driving on snow packed and icy roads requires your full attention. Allow extra room between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
• Remember to brake slowly. 
• Keep your windshield clean at all times.
• During times of reduced visibility, watch for bicycles, disabled individuals and pedestrians, especially around schools. If at all possible, do not drive during a storm — it is much safer to stay home and wait until conditions improve.

If water has accumulated on the road near your house, on your driveway or on your  front lawn, you may be located near a trap low. A trap low is a device that slows the flow of water into stormwater ponds and it is designed to hold the water on the street. Properties on streets with trap lows are graded to keep the water away from foundations.

If rainwater accumulation has not drained 24 hours after the rain stops, please contact  Operations at 403-851-2590. 

Stormwater facilities are specifically created to take run-off from local streets and filter it before it flows into the river.

Stormwater facilities are never safe for recreational use (skating, walking) for a number of reasons:

• inlet and outlet pipes keep water continuously flowing beneath the frozen top layer.
• the ice surface varies in depth across the whole surface. It may appear thick in some areas, other areas may have little or no ice — you won’t be able to tell by looking.  Snow often obscures holes in the inconsistent ice.
• salt, which is used to melt ice, in the runoff from roads, impedes the water’s ability to freeze.
• Town crews lower the water level under the ice to reduce hydrogen sulfide gas levels. This creates a dangerous air pocket between any ice that has already formed and the top of the water.