The City of Estevan expects to offer the same level of snow removal as it did this past winter.
Estevan city council approved the snow removal policy for 2017-18 at its meeting on Monday night. The timing was appropriate, since it came just days after the city received a couple of dustings of snow that created some icy road conditions.
Those conditions improved once sand was applied.
“I think the people demand (quality) snow removal,” said Norm Mack, the roads and drainage manager for the city’s public works division. “It was obvious last year that it’s what the people want.”
Mack said the city spent a lot of money on snow removal last winter, thanks to five large snowstorms that hammered the city. Total snow removal costs so far this year are $556,953; the budget for 2017 is about $263,400.
“But we have to be practical, too,” said Mack. “If there is three or four inches, we’re not going out and moving snow on priority 3s. We’ll let them pack.
“So people have to understand that last year, with all those storms, we had no choice. We just had to do it … because there was so much of it.”
The city received a significant snowstorm in January and a blizzard in March. There were also some expenses stemming from a Christmas Day snowstorm last year, since some of the cleanup work happened early this year.
Mack hopes the city will receive as little snow as possible in the final weeks of the year.
Snow removal is an essential service, he said, because emergency vehicles need to access the roads and people need to drive in the community. The city won’t be short-changing its snow removal service until the end of the year because of the budget overages.
“Snow removal will not be effected by budgets; if the snow comes we will be dealing with it,” said Mack.
Mack noted other communities have called the city to find out what Estevan is doing, and have even asked Mack to coach their crews.
The snow removal equipment is ready for the upcoming winter, he said. The city has two relatively new snowblowers, three loaders, a backhoe, a skid-steer for pathways, and three tandem trucks. It also has access to contractors in the event of a larger snow event.
“We have a good fleet of mechanics now, so … before everything is put away, it’s fixed and ready to go for the next winter,” said Mack.
The policy approved by council on Monday night outlines what to do in the event of major and minor snow events. In the case of a major snow event, crews will push snow to the sides of Priority 1 roads whenever possible. The snow will then be blown and hauled.
Crews and contractors will work 12-hour shifts starting early in the morning to clear Priority 1 and 2 roads. Equipment will be hired and people will work overtime.
For priority 3 roads, the snow will be windrowed to the middle, loaded and hauled.
Crews will work in eight to 12-hour shifts after Priority 1 and 2 roads are completed.
For a minor snow event, crews will sand when required and trouble areas will be cleared on Priority 1 and 2 roads. Priority 3 roads will be cleaned and traffic will pack the snow.
Sidewalks and pathways will be cleared for major snow events, and when necessary for minor snow events. Mack said it’s important for sidewalks and pathways to be cleared.
The city will clear pathways and sidewalks in some high-traffic areas, but residents are responsible for clearing sidewalks in front of their homes.
Priority 1 roads include Fourth Street, Kensington Avenue, King Street, Perkins Street, Devonian Street, Souris Avenue South from Valley Street to Sixth Street, Souris Avenue North from King Street to Morsky Drive, Sixth Street from 14th Avenue to Souris Avenue South, the 300-block of 11th Avenue,13th Avenue from Fourth Street to King Street, Sister Roddy Road from Highway 39 to Wellock Road, Newcombe Drive from King Street to Nicholson Road, Nicholson Road from Newcombe Drive to Sister Roddy Road, Wellock Road in front of the Estevan Regional Nursing Home, and the road in front of the Estevan Leisure Centre.
