Major snow clearing efforts necessary in Kitchener after winter storm

By CityNews Staff

It was a busy morning for snow plow operators on Thursday, including in the City of Kitchener. 

After a winter storm that saw 18 centimetres of snow hit Kitchener, Manager of Snow Clearing Operations Scott Berry appeared on the Mike Farwell Show and said as of 10 a.m., 70 per cent of city roads had already been cleaned up.

He added that had it not been for the declaration of a snow event, roads might not have even been 50 per cent plowed. 

“Prior to the snow event declaration being adopted in the City of Kitchener, we were sometimes up to 72 hours getting to some of our priority three residential streets,” said Berry. “Thanks to the snow event declaration and the parking [on the road] ban, we're done within 24 hours. When you move your car off the road, you really do help us maintain your street quicker and a lot more efficiently. We're driving very big pieces of equipment and in some locations it's just not safe to try to squeeze through.”

It's not just parked cars that are hazards for plows. Berry said garbage and recycling is also one of their biggest issues.

“Regardless of the day, somewhere in the city it's garbage day. People that are putting their garbage and recycling at the end of their driveway as opposed to placing it on the roadway really help us get through the city.”

The snow plow operators also take part in preventative measures, monitoring a more detailed commercial weather forecast, assessing whether the conditions require anti-ice salt that allows the plows to scrape the snow off the roads with ease and getting out on the roads before the snow becomes heavy.

With over 2,000 kilometres of Kitchener roads to cover – which is equivalent to a drive to Winnipeg – Berry said following the rules of a snow event can make a huge difference in the time it takes to clear local roadways.
 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today