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Clearing the roads part 2: city streets

Flurries of resident complaints about snow removal in Terrace covered mayor Dave Pernarowski’s Facebook page after the new year’s storm.

Flurries of resident complaints about snow removal in Terrace covered mayor Dave Pernarowski’s Facebook page after the new year’s storm.

From blocked-in driveways, snow covered streets and sidewalks to large walls of snow separating Terrace’s main drags — transportation frustration due to weather was the focus.

In response to snow service complaints, Pernarowski said the city was scrambling to catch up while the snow kept falling, but a request has been put in to see how many workers were out during the holidays.

“It’s been pretty tense up here, but we’re managing the best we can,” he said.

The city does have snow and ice control policy, which prioritizes areas of snow removal ­— intended to balance weather with safety, equipment, staff, time of day and the budget.

The 2011/2012 winter budget is allotted at $420,000 with $256,000 of that amount already spent.

The average daily cost of removing snow in 2011 alone was $4,886 per snowfall — but numbers have hit higher than the $20,000-in-a-day mark.

December’s average daily cost was $6,632.

The plow route priority is as follows: first Kalum, Lanfear, Park and Birch Hills; then hospital and school zones; the downtown core; arterial streets; local residential streets; cul-de-sacs; alleys.

Snow piled in the centre of downtown  roads is moved at night and after storm emergency conditions have ended.

Policy states that snow piles in front of driveways will not be removed by the city to ensure time and cost efficient ploughing.