Sign up for our free daily newsletter
Machines clear snow heading East along 28th St. East. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW staff)
Massive Machines

Snow dump clearance underway

Jan 9, 2020 | 12:55 PM

We may have gotten the biggest dump of snow of the season so far. But for the city’s snow removal team, it’s just another day .

“This is just normal work for us,” Roadways Manager Brent Kennedy told paNOW.

City crews, plus additional contractors hit the streets at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday.

In total, 12 snow-clearing machines were in action.

Kennedy said their priority is main arterial roads, which he anticipates they’ll finish clearing by the end of the day.

By Friday, crews should be ready to start removing snow from bus routes and school zones.

Kennedy estimated they will likely be into residential areas by Monday or Tuesday.

A map shows Prince Albert’s plowing priorities (City of P.A.)

The city gets their machines ready by early October so they’re ready for anything winter might throw at them.

Kennedy said their biggest challenge actually has nothing to do with the weather.

“The real issue that we run into is vehicles parked out on the streets. That’s our biggest concern.”

A grader dwarves nearby cars driving through the intersection of 6th Ave East and 28th St. East. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

As the clean-up of the largest snowfall of the season so far continues, Kennedy had a simple reminder for the public.

“When you see snow plows out there, be patient,” he said.

“We move at a slower pace than the normal traffic. I mean we’re not there to disrupt your day or anything we’re there to make the roads better.”

A crew of a dozen special machinery operators including Mike Mardell have been on the streets since the wee hours of the morning getting a immediate start clearing the biggest snowfall of the year. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom

View Comments