By Geoff Smith (@smithco on Twitter)

Above-average snowfall has crews working 24/7

Jan 9, 2017 | 10:08 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Another snowfall, and it’s back to square one for city crews.

Each time a new snow event begins, snow clearing operations must revert back to priority one roads. Since Dec. 1 the city has received more than 80 cm of snow, or more than two and a half feet, according to James Nicholls, acting transportation operations coordinator with the City of Lethbridge.

“It’s definitely something that is above average, compared to the last couple of years,” Nicholls said, adding that the city was ready.

“The long-range models had said that this was going to be coming our way end of November, beginning of December,” he explained. “It came a little later than we anticipated, but we were definitely prepared.”

Nicholls added that more snow than usual was budgeted for. Crews have been working around the clock, he said, with the help of contractors, plowing/sanding and removing snow at the same time. The removal portion of those efforts was focused on the south end Monday morning.

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More snow was in the forecast for both Monday, Jan. 9 and Tuesday, Jan. 10. While a big warm-up was being forecast for the weekend, in the meantime Nicholls said crews were back to the Priority One streets such as Mayor Magrath Drive, Scenic Drive, and Whoop-Up Drive.

“It would be certainly nice if Mother Nature could give us at least a week or two just to, kind of, get things completely in order and then it can go again if it likes.”

The city reminded residents to shovel snow onto their own property or boulevards and not onto the streets, while drivers were encouraged to use the necessary caution. Sand was also being provided by the city free of charge to residents, at the corner of 4th Avenue N. and 7th Street N. and at the West Lethbridge recycling depot at the top of Bridge Drive W.

by Geoff Smith (@smithco on Twitter)

Above-average snowfall has crews working 24/7

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