The forecast warning for the Prince Rupert area is calling for anywhere between 10 to 15 centimetres of snow for the North coast between Sunday night and Monday morning, meaning that by Monday afternoon Rupertites will once again be regaling each other with tales of the drive around town.
A common bit of conversation of late, that makes for a fine ice breaker if you will, and normally involves a bit of wonderment as to the strategy and success of the city’s snow removal policy.
The hot topic of the local coffee shops even received its own visual aid on Friday, as the Daily News provided pictures of an oil tanker truck having some serious problems making it up the grade of Frederick Street at Maverick Mart. The trouble on the road developed despite the presence of high grade snow tires and the addition of winter chains for the drive.
Local RCMP were forced to close roads in the area and summon city sanding crews and a tow truck to assist the truck over the crest of the hill and on its way down the highway.
The full story is provided below as recounted in Friday’s Daily news,
But for those that have been speaking out with complaints about snow removal in this particularly snowy period of the New Year so far, the picture of a fully equipped oil tanker truck sliding down a hill probably makes their point vividly that perhaps the roads aren't getting quite enough attention as they could ever have hoped.
Who knows what tales will be told by Monday afternoon…
Snow causing havoc on roads, sidewalks
By Kris Schumacher and Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, February 01, 2008
Page three
With more than a week of snowfall behind us and more snow in the forecast, police are urging all motorists to drive slowly and ensure they have proper winter tires on their vehicles.
Even then, Old Man Winter is wrecking havoc on local traffic.
There were several accidents this week - and an incident on Wednesday when police had to block of a section of Frederick Street, near the Maverick Mart, because a double-tanker fuel truck was unable to make it up the hill.
"We're dealing with a lot of accidents because drivers are not giving themselves enough time and driving too fast for road conditions, so all drivers should bear in mind that conditions are not ideal right now and plan ahead to ensure their travel plans will get them safely to their destinations," said Constable Krista Vrolyk of the Prince Rupert RCMP.
According to eye witnesses, the truck was headed up Frederick Street around 5 p.m. but couldn't make it up the hill and slid back into the snow and slush. The driver couldn't pull forward or back up, so city crews and police had to block roads and direct traffic with the trailer also blocking most of 11th Avenue East. They had to bring in a wrecker to help pull the tanker back out.
The driver then headed on to the highway. Traffic was stopped and the roadway was blocked for approximately 30 minutes.
The tanker was travelling on a street that should have been cleared first following any snowfall because it is part of a bus route.
The vehicle was equipped with chains.
"After a snowfall, emergency routes and bus routes are our first priority," said Sigrid Ireland, City of Prince Rupert operations manager.
The city's public works crew have been busy doing more than plowing and sanding this winter. There are many other maintenance tasks to be done when the snow falls.
"There certainly has been more (snow) than average," said Ireland.
"We have had to order more salt and sand because we are short. That's not normal for this time of year."
Other tasks include clearing bus stops and downtown sidewalks to keep traffic flow moving. The city clears the walks up to the frontage of the business property. Downtown business people are supposed to clear their own areas.
"We also try to do the curb drops where cross walks are, that sort of stuff," said Ireland. And then, when the snow begins to melt, there's drainage to consider. Every time it snows, we have that same problem and we have a crew going out ... clearing catch basins."
Fortunately, this most recent round of snow comes at the beginning of the city's fiscal year, so there's no budgetary concerns about the cost of the weather.
However, Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he is always reminded by city staff that the budget for snow removal has to cover from January to April and then October to December and there's a lot of winter to go yet.
A common bit of conversation of late, that makes for a fine ice breaker if you will, and normally involves a bit of wonderment as to the strategy and success of the city’s snow removal policy.
The hot topic of the local coffee shops even received its own visual aid on Friday, as the Daily News provided pictures of an oil tanker truck having some serious problems making it up the grade of Frederick Street at Maverick Mart. The trouble on the road developed despite the presence of high grade snow tires and the addition of winter chains for the drive.
Local RCMP were forced to close roads in the area and summon city sanding crews and a tow truck to assist the truck over the crest of the hill and on its way down the highway.
The full story is provided below as recounted in Friday’s Daily news,
But for those that have been speaking out with complaints about snow removal in this particularly snowy period of the New Year so far, the picture of a fully equipped oil tanker truck sliding down a hill probably makes their point vividly that perhaps the roads aren't getting quite enough attention as they could ever have hoped.
Who knows what tales will be told by Monday afternoon…
Snow causing havoc on roads, sidewalks
By Kris Schumacher and Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, February 01, 2008
Page three
With more than a week of snowfall behind us and more snow in the forecast, police are urging all motorists to drive slowly and ensure they have proper winter tires on their vehicles.
Even then, Old Man Winter is wrecking havoc on local traffic.
There were several accidents this week - and an incident on Wednesday when police had to block of a section of Frederick Street, near the Maverick Mart, because a double-tanker fuel truck was unable to make it up the hill.
"We're dealing with a lot of accidents because drivers are not giving themselves enough time and driving too fast for road conditions, so all drivers should bear in mind that conditions are not ideal right now and plan ahead to ensure their travel plans will get them safely to their destinations," said Constable Krista Vrolyk of the Prince Rupert RCMP.
According to eye witnesses, the truck was headed up Frederick Street around 5 p.m. but couldn't make it up the hill and slid back into the snow and slush. The driver couldn't pull forward or back up, so city crews and police had to block roads and direct traffic with the trailer also blocking most of 11th Avenue East. They had to bring in a wrecker to help pull the tanker back out.
The driver then headed on to the highway. Traffic was stopped and the roadway was blocked for approximately 30 minutes.
The tanker was travelling on a street that should have been cleared first following any snowfall because it is part of a bus route.
The vehicle was equipped with chains.
"After a snowfall, emergency routes and bus routes are our first priority," said Sigrid Ireland, City of Prince Rupert operations manager.
The city's public works crew have been busy doing more than plowing and sanding this winter. There are many other maintenance tasks to be done when the snow falls.
"There certainly has been more (snow) than average," said Ireland.
"We have had to order more salt and sand because we are short. That's not normal for this time of year."
Other tasks include clearing bus stops and downtown sidewalks to keep traffic flow moving. The city clears the walks up to the frontage of the business property. Downtown business people are supposed to clear their own areas.
"We also try to do the curb drops where cross walks are, that sort of stuff," said Ireland. And then, when the snow begins to melt, there's drainage to consider. Every time it snows, we have that same problem and we have a crew going out ... clearing catch basins."
Fortunately, this most recent round of snow comes at the beginning of the city's fiscal year, so there's no budgetary concerns about the cost of the weather.
However, Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he is always reminded by city staff that the budget for snow removal has to cover from January to April and then October to December and there's a lot of winter to go yet.
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