City’s residential street cleanup ends

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This article was published 30/11/2021 (1557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The city has wrapped up its street-clearing operation and lifted the parking ban on residential streets after a weekend of scraping and sanding.

The plowing operation, which began at 7 a.m. Saturday and ended Monday at 7 p.m, cleared roughly 3,800 kilometres nearly two-and-a-half weeks after the first winter storm covered streets with ice and dangerous ruts.

Transcona Coun. Shawn Nason described his constituents as “modestly pleased” with the snow clearing, although some expressed concerns the delay in service forced them to navigate icy roads and walkways, he said.

“(The timing) is also frustrating for some residents because they feel this could’ve all been avoided had we done it immediately after, and I don’t disagree with them,” Nason said.

“We’re not weather experts, and there was predictions of additional weather coming, but that didn’t unfold, so that’s why they’re cleaning up the mess now,” he added.

Fluctuating temperatures and freezing rain over the last week influenced the decision to postpone the clearing, Coun. Matt Allard wrote in an email statement.

“We initiated the plow because milder temperatures were forecast for this past weekend, and crews were in a position to clear residential streets…while minimizing the risk of extensive curb and boulevard damage during clearing operations,” he wrote.

Workers applied salt and sand to some sidewalks and paths to improve traction, Allard added.

Both councillors agreed the city needs to do more to ensure safe walking conditions.

“I have been calling for improvements to sidewalk clearing…since last year. It’s increasingly my belief that we need to do more proactive sanding on sidewalks rather (than) complaint-based when ice emerges,” Allard wrote.

“We need to make sure that we get it done and get it done right for our citizens so they can move without fear of getting hurt,” Nason said.

Winnipeg deployed approximately 300 heavy equipment vehicles to clear the snow and ice, Allen wrote.

During the residential parking ban, the city issued 2,475 tickets, worth $150 each, and completed 11,589 courtesy tows.

While the residential ban has ended, the annual snow route parking ban takes effect as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Parking on snow routes is restricted from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. until Feb. 27.

Drivers who violate the ban could get a $100 ticket and their vehicle could be towed.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca