Snow Crews Getting Help From Rain

By 250 News

Snow banks have taken over nearly one full lane on this roadway

City Crews are working as fast as they can, but the rain that fell yesterday may be the biggest boost they’ve had to their snow clearing efforts.

“In the 12 years I’ve been here, I don’t recall ever seeing this much snow so early in the year:” says Warren Hall, acting Manager for the Transportation Department at City Hall.

Hall says City Crews have been working flat out, and contractors have been hired to remove the snow from the streets. “Pretty much anyone who was in the business of snow removal has been hired to help clear up the streets says Hall.

Mother nature may be helping a bit, “The rain may have helped compact that snow so the heavy equipment can pick up more at one time” says Hall. He says there are some wind-rows that are nearing 12 feet wide and 8 feet high.

Curbside, some roads are seeing one full lane disappear, as shown in the photo above, the yellow centre line is about 2 and a half feet from the snow bank.

Many residents are facing a problem with where to put the snow.

It is illegal to shovel it on the street and flipping the stuff off the shovel is becoming difficult because it has to be lifted so high. Hall says he hasn’t heard of any complaints being filed with the by-law office about people moving the snow on to the street, or annoying neighbours by dumping it in the next yard. “The biggest problem seems to be the vehicles that were left on the street” says Hall. “Some of them are pretty blocked in by snow because the plows just went around them, I would imagine digging them out is going to be a challenge.”

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