The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is once again reminding people to be cautious in where they pile the snow that falls on their private property.

“Some residents and property managers have been plowing their driveway snow onto ministry roads, and they need to know that their actions put people and property in peril,” reads a statement on the TranBC website.

There are a few reasons why moving snow from your own property onto a roadway is considered a bad idea.

The first is a safety concern, as snow piled on roadways may make it difficult for motorists to see oncoming traffic, pedestrians or road signs such as stop signs. Piled snow also reduces the space for pedestrians, which means safely sharing the road, particularly in slippery conditions, becomes more difficult.

Large snow piles can also become obstacles for maintenance contractors such as snowplow operators. If a plow must detour around piles of snow or can’t remove those large piles of snow, the road will be in poorer condition. A grader and loader may need to be brought in to remove snow, which increases expenses and results in more time spent on one task.

Piling snow off of your own property in ditches or on boulevards may also result in a drainage issue, which during melt can cause damage to private or public property. You may find yourself in a time consuming, and expensive, conflict with the Province of BC or a neighbour.

“It’s actually illegal to move snow onto a public right of way, eg. provincial road, ditch, bridge or boulevard under Section 62(1) of the Transportation Act,” the TranBC website continues.

“People who do that, may have to pay for the removal of the snow, if it’s deemed a safety hazard or a risk to damaging public infrastructure, or if it damages infrastructure.”