Calgary snow removal operations need to change, councillors say

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After being flooded with calls this week about dangerously icy road conditions in Calgary, city councillors are questioning department policy around snow and ice control and parking bans along snow routes. 

Councillors Ray Jones, Andre Chabot and Ward Sutherland say that three days after the weekend snowfall of 26 centimetres, commuters are still calling. They’re frustrated by icy thoroughfares, slick hills and intersections, a lack of gravel on major routes and commutes that are still one to two hours long across the city.

City data shows 311 operators fielded 2,338 calls related to snow and ice between Sunday and midday Wednesday.

As well, up to 2,500 tickets have been issued since a parking ban was put into place Monday night, increasing the level of frustration for those who still can’t park on streets until the ban is lifted. The city lifted the parking ban early, at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Calgary police confirmed 710 vehicle collisions between midnight Monday and midday Wednesday.

“I am getting a lot of calls from people, frustrated by the roads, frustrated things are taking too long, and the fact there isn’t a lot of gravel being put down,” said Jones, adding that he almost missed a meeting Wednesday morning after battling treacherous conditions on Barlow Trail, 16th Avenue N.E. and 36th Street N.E., all major routes.

Jones says he will ask the roads department this week to examine its snow and ice control policies, particularly why there aren’t enough vehicles and resources to deal with a major snowfall, only a few years after up to $10 million was added to the now $37-million snow and ice control budget. “Where’s all that equipment gone?” he asked.

Sean Somers, city spokesman for transportation, said this most recent snowfall has been particularly challenging because precipitation continued over three days while temperatures remained extremely cold. 

While crews continued snow clearing and spreading “pickle,” a mix of salt and gravel, snow continued falling, and was packed down by vehicles.

“When trucks are out there, it’s slow going because they’re dealing with the same congestion everyone else is.” 

Chabot says he will ask administrators whether work contracts should be re-examined and whether there’s a better way to deploy more resources immediately after a major snowfall.

“The best solution is just take it down to clear pavement, get rid of most of the ice, and you’re not going to keep losing the gravel.”

The Ward 10 councillor believes big problems were created in the 1990s when the city moved away from “snow removal” to “snow control” and dropping a mix of salt and gravel in hopes of cutting costs.

“It’s not working. I know clearing costs more, so maybe it’s time to look at contracting out more of this work. It’s a question that has to be broached.”

Right now, roads department policy aims to clear Priority 1 routes within 24 hours after snow stops falling. Priority 2 routes should be cleared within 48 hours, while parking bans remain in effect for 72 hours after snow stops falling, even after streets have been cleared.

Somers said clearing snow from major roads immediately and completely would be extremely expensive, requiring significantly more trucks and staff.

“It comes down to cost,” said Somers. “With a snowfall like the one we had, you would have a situation where several trucks would be filled up within a few blocks.”

But Sutherland says with the growing frustration among commuters, he will raise snow and ice control challenges during budget deliberations this spring. 

“We know we’re doing the best we can with the resources we have, and if we want to do more, it will cost us more.

“But maybe it’s time we look at how much more it will cost us to change some of the priorities.”

Sutherland says while Priority 1 and 2 routes are cleared within 24 and then 48 hours, he will ask roads officials to estimate how much more it would cost to shorten those time frames. 

eferguson@postmedia.com