In passing both the 2010 transportation maintenance as well as the snow and ice control policies last week, city council has set out its priorities for roads around town in the coming year.

The snow and ice control policy is updated annually to deal with any changes like new developments, to transit or emergency routes and service.

The policy deals with clearing and sanding roads in the winter while the transportation policy outlines road repair and maintenance in the warmer months.

Under the changes to the snow and ice control policy for 2010:

• Hamilton Boulevard, Lobird Road off the Hamilton Boulevard extension and Centennial Street from 12th Avenue to the Alaska Highway are top priorities for both snow and ice control; and

• Fish Lake Road and Wickstrom Road from Hospital Road to Smith Road are a top priority for ice control.

Roads that fall under the top priority are freeways, major arterial roads, emergency routes, major bus routes, steep roads and those with known drainage problems in the spring.

Meanwhile, the Steele Street parkade and parking lot at Steele Street and Second Avenue have been added to the list of second priorities, which include:

• the remainder of arterial roads and bus routes;

• major industrial roads;

• roads in the Central Business District;

• roads next to schools;

• routes to prioritized city-owned facilities;

• city-owned parking lots with priority; and

• some emergency routes that don't fall into the list for top priority.

Priority three is the remaining roads in the city with city-owned parking lots and lanes, except those already in a higher priority, falling into the lowest priority for snow and ice control crews.

Along with changing the priority of some roadways this year, the city is also planning to relocate the snow dump at the Copper Ridge Reservoir to a site near Lobird and Hamilton Boulevard.

The policy has also included new sidewalks in its jurisdictions, including the one along Quartz Road from Second Avenue to Chilkoot Way.

Under the changes to the transportation maintenance policy:

• Lobird Road is now a top priority;

• the McLean Lake Road truck route has been added as a second priority to access the gravel pit;

• the new neighbourhoods of Ingram, Stan McCowan Place and Takhini North are listed as a third priority; and

• the three new neighbourhoods are recognized in the section on sidewalks.

Coun. Dave Austin was absent from the Dec. 14 council meeting.