Working in tandem: various vehicles tackle the job as they clean the sidewalks then the roadways. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

on the street

P.A. street clean-up hits halfway point

May 22, 2020 | 2:36 PM

Prince Albert city crews have the street sweeping operation down to a fine art. With three weeks already behind them tackling main routes and arterials, matters will now move on to another three weeks of residential streets from Monday.

Roadways manager Brent Kennedy explained the various personnel and machines work in tandem in an outside to inside approach on each street.

“We bring in a few people from community services who use walk-behind sweepers so they sweep off the grass and sidewalks,” he explained to paNOW. “We have a small loader and truck that cleans up behind that, and then we bring in our street sweeper [vehicles] so they can clean up the rest of the debris.”

The process involves the grass and sidewalks being manually swept with a machine before the street sweeping vehicles deal with the debris. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

A train of several machines was in operation along 22^nd Street Friday as crews were attending to bus routes. Getting rid of all the sand and debris left from the winter is important, not just to ensure the storm sewer system isn’t clogged, but also for general traffic, pedestrian, and cyclist safety.

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The recent heavy rains have helped suppress the particulates that can linger during clean up.

“[The rain] came down hard and basically just dried and washed up right away but the benefit is there is fine dust that’s left behind when we’re done sweeping, so a big rainfall actually cleans that off,” he said.

No parking signs are put out at least 12 hours before crews start working on an area and motorists must move their vehicles or risk getting a fine and being towed.

“It’s so important …it makes our job a lot easier and quicker,” Kennedy said. “When those signs are out please move your vehicle.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow