Street sweeping in the rural communities usually begins when priority routes in the Urban Service Area are complete. Rural roads are different, with no on-street parking, which allows crews to work without the use of temporary no-parking signs and residents to continue to park as usual.
Road Maintenance
Municipal roadways are maintained year-round through the street sweeping program and regular pothole repairs.
Street sweeping
Street sweeping and cleaning in Fort McMurray will begin as soon as the snow is gone, typically mid-late April.
Crews will start with priority routes, including Franklin Ave., Thickwod Blvd., Beacon Hill Dr., Paquette Dr., other high-traffic streets and bus routes. Residential street sweeping will follow. What for temporary no parking signs in areas where street sweeping is planned.
Please drive with extra caution around crews and equipment.
Please drive with caution around street sweepers or other road equipment. Dust reduces visibility so give crews ample room to operate. Please also obey the signs on the back of the equipment. Your cooperation helps keep everyone safe.
Street sweeping requires dry conditions. If weather changes cause delays, and crews are unable to complete the work within 72 hours, parking signs will be removed. Parking signs will be replaced before crews return.
Watch-out for no parking signs
Temporary no parking signs are placed in areas 24 hours before street maintenance begins. Electronic message boards are also posted at neighbourhood entrances to provide advance notice of planned work.
Please move your vehicles off the street when temporary no parking signs are posted. Once signs are in place:
- Vehicles must be moved within 24 hours
- Crews have up to 72 hours to complete street maintenance
Signs will be removed once work is finished on-street parking can resume.
Parking restrictions
During the regular street sweeping program, vehicles will be ticketed and towed in areas where signs have been posted for at least 24 hours.
- Notice of Violations are $120. For information about paying parking fines, visit the parking web page.
- Vehicles will be towed to an impound yard, and the owner will be responsible for towing and impound fees.
We ask for cooperation from all residents so our crews can perform their work quickly and minimize disruption.
For questions and more information about parking fines and towing, contact Pulse at 780-743-7000, 1-800-973-9663 or online at rmwb.ca/pulse.
Pothole maintenance
Pothole repairs happen year-round. This year, crews expect to fix more than 4,000 potholes along with completing sidewalk, curb and gutter repairs, crack sealing and damaged asphalt repairs.
Potholes are common during the spring due to freeze-thaw cycles, and crews respond as quickly as possible using temporary repairs when needed, with more permanent fixes completed as weather conditions improve.
Potholes aren’t enjoyable for drivers or maintenance crews, but unfortunately, they are unavoidable in northern Alberta. During the freeze-thaw periods of fall and spring, water enters cracks in the pavement, which then freezes and expands.
Micro-fractures turn into larger cracks, which allow even more water in, and the cycle repeats itself when water freezes again. Over time, potholes will continue to expand, which is why crews repair thousands during the short construction season and will return to repair recurring potholes as needed.
From late May to early fall, pothole repairs will increase as work shifts from the temporary fixes to the more permanent “hot-mix” repairs, which require the local asphalt plants to be open for purchase.
Pothole patching is performed either as an “emergency” repair, which can happen during wet and cold conditions, or as routine maintenance scheduled for warmer and drier periods.
Emergency repairs are usually done only when a pothole presents a substantial safety or traffic operational issue.
There are two methods for fixing a pothole:
1. Cold-Patch: Cold mix asphalt material is shoveled into the pothole, which may or may not be filled with water and debris and compacted if possible. Cold patch repairs are quick, but temporary; they are a fix performed when traffic and weather conditions prevent a more permanent repair.
2. Hot-Patch: Water and debris are removed from the pothole. Tack coat oil is applied, and then a heated asphalt mix is placed and compacted. Because this method is more labour and equipment intensive, it is usually done when traffic and weather conditions are more favourable.
Hot patching is the favoured approach for repairing potholes, but this can only be used during the summer months (May-September) when hot mix asphalt is available.
Throughout the rest of the year, cold mix is used, which will sometimes need to be filled multiple times.
Report a pothole
To report a pothole, contact Pulse at 780-743-7000 or online at rmwb.ca/pulse
Pothole repairs are prioritized based on several factors, including traffic volume, safety impact and available resources. While many pothole locations are identified by the Roads team, we encourage residents to report locations as well.
Highway 63, including overpasses and ramps, are maintained and operated by the Government of Alberta. To report a pothole on Highway 63, please contact the Highway Maintenance Contractor, Emcon Services at 1-800-390-2242.
Frequently Asked Questions
Street Sweeping
I rely on on-street parking. What are my other options?
When you see signs posted in your neighbourhood with a notice about street sweeping, it's time to make temporary arrangements to park your vehicle elsewhere.
Parking alternatives include:
- Driveways
- Garages
- A shared parking space with a neighbour or friend
- Public Parking Lots
- A nearby street where maintenance is not scheduled
On-street parking may also be available along primary and secondary routes when crews are sweeping residential streets. You can locate Primary and Secondary routes on the Road Maintenance Priorities map. Please pay attention to parking signs in the area to avoid being ticketed and towed.
Can I park in my alleyway when there are parking signs posted in my neighbourhood?
No. Parking in alleyways is not permitted, as per Bylaw 21/010
Alleys exist only for emergency response vehicle access.
No. Your street may appear to have been swept, but further maintenance may be required. Please obey all parking signs to avoid being ticketed and towed. When the signs are removed from the street on-street parking may resume.
Will street sweepers be working in my neighbourhood at night?
Crews avoid working in residential areas at night. They might work at night along primary and secondary routes, depending on location and necessity.
Can I park on my street at night if parking signs are posted?
It is each resident's responsibility to obey posted parking signs to avoid being ticketed and towed. On-street parking is permitted when the signs have been removed.
I'm going on vacation for a few weeks. Can I park my vehicle on the street while I'm away?
Residents should avoid parking on the street if they will be away for a period. It is each resident's responsibility to obey posted parking signs to avoid being ticketed and towed, even while they are away.
I have concerns about mud and debris on my street. Whom should I call?
Call Pulse at 780-743-7000 or visit rmwb.ca/pulse to report concerns about mud and debris.
Potholes
How many potholes does Roads repair?
- In 2024, we repaired 3, 635 potholes
- In 2025, 4, 460 pothole repairs were completed
- Similar numbers are expected for this year
Why is that big pothole filled with gravel, instead of being filled with asphalt?
What you are seeing likely is not a pothole. Potholes are always repaired with asphalt. Holes created in the roadway for underground work, called Utility Cuts, are filled with gravel, and then scheduled for paving after the underground work is completed.
Why doesn't the city fix potholes in the winter?
The city does repair potholes and utility cuts in the winter; however, during the winter, the fixes can only be temporary. This is because the best way to repair holes or utility cuts is by using a hot-mix asphalt, and it is not available in our region until the summer months.
In the winter, potholes and utility cuts are maintained with cold mix, gravel, and recycled asphalt. This temporary mix may shift or settle during a freeze/thaw cycle. More permanent fixes will follow when warmer temperatures are more consistent.
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