YOU AND WHOSE ARMY? A REVIEW OF THE JANUARY 1999 TORONTO SNOW EMERGENCY. IN: WEATHER AND TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA

Heavy snowfall presents major challenges to large cities. This paper provides a comparison of observations from the literature on urban snowfall hazards with observations from a case study of the January 1999 Toronto snow emergency in which a series of winter storms affected the region. The case study demonstrates how repeated heavy snowfalls, along with cold temperatures, high winds, drifting snow, and human factors, exceeded the capacity of systems to maintain reliable transportation services. Loss of mobility was the dominant feature of the Toronto snow emergency. This case study reveals concerns regarding the methods employed in early snow hazard research. The case study and literature review suggest that further analysis is needed to improve methods for understanding snow hazard vulnerabilities, estimating impacts and modeling relationships between winter weather and indices of urban activity. The costs and benefits of traditional snow hazard responses versus alternative measures such as intentional restrictions on mobility and demand management options should also be evaluated.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0911083653
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Waterloo

  Department of Geography, Faculty of Environmental Studies
  200 University Avenue West
  Waterloo, Ontario  Canada  N2L 3G1
• Authors:
  • Mills, B N
  • Suggett, J
  • Wenger, L
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 161-195
• Serial:
  • Publication of: University of Waterloo, Canada
  • Issue Number: 55
  • Publisher: University of Waterloo
  • ISSN: 0843-7378

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Cold weather; Emergencies; Hazard analysis; Human factors; Large cities; Literature reviews; Mobility; Snowfall; Urban transportation; Urban travel; Wind; Winter; Winter maintenance
• Geographic Terms: Toronto (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I62: Winter Maintenance; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00967139
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0911083653
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 7 2003 12:00AM