The City of New Westminster’s snow-clearing crews are gearing up for the second snowfall in two days.
Gabe Beliveau, the city’s manager of engineering operations, said crews worked around the clock to prepare and clear roads on Sunday.
“The crews did a great job. We had a long, drawn out snowfall but we worked through our priorities and are continuing to progress. The roads are looking really good right now. We are continuing to go into our residential routes and we are set up for the rest of the week’s events,” he told the Record Monday morning. “We are expecting, we are planning for another snowfall tonight into tonight. Crews are booked in and we are fully prepped for that.”
Environment Canada is calling for chance of flurries late this afternoon and early evening, with five to 10 centimetres of snow expected tonight. Snow is expected to end on Tuesday afternoon – but the current forecast calls for more snow on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Beliveau said the City of New Westminster shut down two of the city’s hills in response to Sunday’s snowfall.
“We close off Third Avenue at 11th Street and we close off Cumberland at Richmond. That’s an every-event occurrence,” he said. “Other than that, no hills were closed.”
On Nov. 29, traffic ground to a halt on several Lower Mainland bridges — including the Pattullo and Queensborough crossings — during a snowfall, prompting some Metro Vancouver politicians, including New West Coun. Daniel Fontaine, to call for a snow summit. No major issues were reported on bridges on Sunday.
“Our government partners really stepped up their game. No issues on the bridge decks that affected our municipality,” Beliveau said. “So, I’m really happy with that. We are continuing to work with them to progress their attention to supporting our needs.”
Mayor Patrick Johnstone said the city is once again looking at a challenging snow season, but he thinks the city crews did a great job with the season’s first two snow events.
“The bridge closures last month were a regional event that slowed our clearing down a bit on the day, but they quickly got caught up,” he said. “This event, they were prepared, and priority and second routes are good. As always, I received a few complaints, but also some kudos from the public for how our roads compared to others. Really, it’s not a competition, but I think a reflection of where people happen to be at a particular time.”
Around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, New Westminster Police Department took to social media to inform the public that officers were dealing with a collision at Stewardson Way at Fifth Avenue. Because all westbound lanes were temporarily blocked, police advised motorists to avoid Stewardson Way.
“Officers responded to one MVI (motor vehicle incident) as well as some other minor traffic issues,” said NWPD spokesperson Sgt. Justine Thom in a statement to the Record. “We’re asking people who are thinking about driving in the snow to pause and consider if their vehicle has appropriate tires for the road conditions. In this kind of weather, you should only drive if you have proper winter snow tires.”
Beliveau advises residents to drive safely — and only drive in the snow if they have to and are fully prepared.
“If you have the ability to stay home, please do so,” he said.
Beliveau also reminds residents and businesses of the requirement to clear the sidewalks fronting their properties. He noted it’s important to clear sidewalks as it improves the mobility of all residents.
The City of New Westminster’s street and traffic bylaw requires snow and ice to be removed from sidewalks abutting properties by no later than 10 a.m. of the day following a snowfall event. When clearing sidewalk, people are reminded to clear the full width and length of the sidewalk down to bare concrete to ensure accessibility.
People are also advised not use table, rock salt, or a sodium-based product as it will damage the surface of the sidewalk. Suitable de-icing products are available for purchase at local retailers.
Beliveau said the city received a few notifications about sidewalks that had not been shovelled on Sunday through SeeClickFix.com.
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