2023 Salt Route Changes

All year round, the City of Greater Sudbury maintains more than 3,500 kilometres of municipal roads. We periodically review how our roads are maintained in winter, and how that maintenance aligns with City policy, provincial legislation and environmental best practices.

One such review was completed this summer and the findings were presented to the Operations Committee, a committee of City Council, on August 14.

This winter, the City will convert 73 lane kms of roads from salt to sand routes. The estimated annual average reduction in salt use on these roads is approximately 1,600 metric tons.The responsible use of road salts helps protect sources of drinking water, a priority for the City.

These roads will be plowed and sanded to a snow-packed state once snow accumulation reaches eight centimetres or when icy conditions have been detected. It was previously plowed and salted once snow accumulation reached five centimetres. This means residents on these roads will see a reduction in windrows at the end of their driveways, and streets will accumulate fewer potholes as salt creates an artificial freeze/thaw cycle that accelerates the formation of potholes.

    How does the City determine its winter road maintenance policies?

    The City’s winter road maintenance policies largely result from the provincial Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) for Municipal Highways, found here: www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/020239. The MMS sets a minimum level of maintenance for roads based on a combination of posted speed (km/h) and average daily traffic volume. The City uses this system to maintain its road network.

    In general terms, City policy dictates that:

    • Class 1 to 3 Roads are plowed and salted once snow accumulation reaches five centimetres. These roads are commonly referred to as ‘salt routes’ and are maintained to a bare pavement state when possible.
    • Class 4 to 6 Roads are plowed and sanded once snow accumulation reaches eight centimetres or slippery conditions are detected. These roads are commonly referred to as ‘sand routes’ and are maintained to a snow packed state.

    Why is the service level of some roads changing?

    About every five years, the Province revises the MMS, with consideration of evolving public need and consultation with municipalities and the Ontario Good Roads Association.

    The latest provincial update included reductions to road maintenance class that generally affected low-speed roadways (less than 51 km/h) and high-volume roadways (average daily traffic volume greater than 15,000 vehicles). That means that several segments of road in Greater Sudbury changed from Class 3 (‘salt route’) to Class 4 (‘sand route’). Since City policy states that Class 1 – 3 roads are maintained as ‘salt routes’ and Class 4 – 6 roads are maintained as ‘sand routes’, roads that changed from Class 3 to Class 4 will see a service level change.

    Why is this good for our environment?

    The City mitigates the impact of salt on the environment by using road salts in a responsible manner while still delivering a consistent level of service and maintaining safe roads for motorists and pedestrians. The responsible use of road salts has a number of environmental benefits, including reducing:

    • Corrosion of concrete, wood and metal
    • Damage to aquatic ecosystems in local lakes and streams
    • Sodium and chloride levels in our drinking water sources
    • Irritation and damage to pets and wildlife


    Winter Maintenance Salt Routes Review 2023 report to Operations Committee

    Below are the roads changing from salt routes, to sand:

    • Elmview Drive, Hanmer, from Municipal Road 80 to Dominion Drive
    • Sellwood Avenue, Capreol, from Foch Street to Dennie Street
    • Errington Avenue, Chelmsford, fromHighway 144 to Mainville Street
    • Fraser Avenue, Onaping, from Municipal Road 08 to  50 m north
    • Levack Drive, Levack, from First Avenue South to End of Levack Drive
    • Mine Road, Levack, from Third Avenue South to  340 m north
    • St James Street, Onaping, from Municipal Road 08 to 60 m north
    • Third Avenue North, Levack, from Church Street to  35 m east of Church Street
    • Algonquin Road, Sudbury, from Regent Street to Byth Road
    • Annie Street, Sudbury, from McNaughton Terrace to John Street
    • Auger Avenue, Sudbury, from Lasalle Boulevard to Falconbridge Road
    • Balsam Street, Copper Cliff, from Godfrey Drive to Municipal Road 55
    • Bulmer Avenue, Sudbury, from Unnamed Lane 17 to Irving Street
    • Centennial Drive, Sudbury, from Regent Street to Ramsey View Court
    • College Street, Sudbury, from Kathleen Street to Frood Road
    • Elizabeth Street, Sudbury, from John Street to McNaughton Terrace
    • Frood Road, Sudbury, from College Street to Kathleen Street
    • Garrow Road, Copper Cliff, from Veterans Road to Serpentine Street
    • Gemma Street, Sudbury, from Corsi Hill to 70 m south
    • Godfrey Drive, Copper Cliff, from Serpentine Road to Balsam Street
    • Granite Street, Sudbury, from Erie Street to McKim Street
    • John Street, Sudbury, from Paris Street  to Annie Street
    • Kelly Lake Road, Sudbury, from Copper Street to Southview Drive
    • Lansing Avenue, Sudbury, from Lasalle Boulevard to Lamothe Street
    • Lansing Avenue, Sudbury, from 60 m north of Madison Avenue to 60 m south of Madison Avenue
    • Lansing Avenue, Sudbury, from Maley Drive to Graywood Drive
    • Lasalle Boulevard, Sudbury, from Lasalle Boulevard to Unnamed Private Road 140
    • Latimer Crescent, Sudbury, from Loach's Road to Oriole Drive
    • Loach's Road, Sudbury, from Regent Street to Latimer Crescent
    • MacIsaac Drive, Sudbury, from Long Lake Road to Algonquin Road
    • Mackenzie Street, Sudbury, from Kathleen Street to Evergreen Street
    • Madison Avenue, Sudbury, from 25 m east of Lansing Avenue to 25 m west of Lansing Avenue
    • Maki Avenue, Sudbury, from Paris Street to Maki Crescent
    • Martindale Road, Sudbury, from Unnamed Lane 26 to Ontario Streeet
    • McKim Street, Sudbury, from Granite Street to Granite Street
    • Morris Street, Sudbury, from Anne Street to Howey Drive
    • Nepahwin Avenue, Sudbury, from Walford Road to 70 m south
    • Power Street, Copper Cliff, from Garrow Street to Balsam Street
    • Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, from South Bay Road to Kirkwood Drive
    • Ramsey View Court, Sudbury, from Regent Street to Centennial Drive
    • Robinson Drive, Sudbury, from Kelly Lake Road to 85 m east
    • Serpentine Street, Copper Cliff, from Garrow Street to Sudway Street
    • Van Horne Street, Sudbury, from Howey Drive to Morris Street
    • Allan Street, Coniston, from Brancroft Drive to Wilfred Avenue
    • Bancroft Drive, Sudbury , from Shelbourne Street to 450 m east from Moonlight Beach Road
    • Bancroft Drive, Sudbury, from Kingsway to Bellevue Avenue
    • Westmount Avenue, Sudbury, from Attlee Avenue to Barry Downe Road
    • Brian Street, Lively, from Hillcrest Drive  to Field Street
    • Duhamel Road, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to Mumford Drive
    • Fielding Road, Lively, from Highway 17 to Industrial Road
    • Hillcrest Drive, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to Mikola Road
    • Industrial Road, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to Fielding Road
    • Lloyd Street, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to Lloyd Street
    • Magill Street, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to End of Magill Street
    • Melvyn Avenue, Lively, from Patricia Street to Timothy Avenue
    • Mikkola Road, Lively, from Hillcrest Drive to Bonnie Drive
    • Mumford Drive, Lively, from Duhamel Road to End of Mumford Drive
    • Niemi Road, Lively, from Turner Drive to Main Street
    • Patricia Street, Lively, from Melvyn Avenue to Mikkola Road
    • Timothy Avenue, Lively, from Westview Crescent to Melvyn Avenue
    • Vagnini Court, Lively, from Mumford Drive to End of Vagnini Court
    • Westview Crescent, Lively, from Municipal Road 55 to Timothy Avenue