City, resorts and Mountain Transit outline winter traffic-management plan and snow operations

Public Works Director Sean Sullivan and Big Bear Mountain Resorts reviewed the winter traffic-management plan and the city’s snow operations on Oct. 11. The TMP formalizes staging and loading of off‑site parking (prioritizing Sandalwood and Fox Farm lots), expands shuttle capacity (Mountain Transit added buses), and highlights peak enforcement and signage strategies for holiday and weekend peak days.

Sean said the TMP will run primarily on high-demand weekends and during the extended winter-holiday window (approximately Dec. 22–Jan. 7), with prepaid resort parking and a staged loading sequence intended to reduce traffic on Big Bear Boulevard and in the Moonridge corridor. Last winter’s experiment of using resort staff to manage temporary traffic‑control positions freed sheriff resources to focus on enforcement; staff said that model will continue and be refined. The City also reported it has on‑call contractor agreements and rented-equipment plans to scale plowing and berm-reduction operations; a target date to complete staff and contractor readiness is Nov. 1.

Council and residents asked staff for clarity on berm‑reduction timing and expectations. Staff said berm reduction is a distinct service from plowing: berm reduction is performed after roads are made passable and may be partial (staff described a 50–80% reduction target for certain accumulation thresholds), timing depends on storm magnitude and staff/contractor availability, and full removal is not guaranteed. Several residents urged more consistent berm reduction and clearer expectations; council asked staff to be flexible and responsive when residents report blocked driveways or sign of life at a property.