Moose Jaw’s streets and sidewalks have been slipperier than usual the past few weeks because of changing weather conditions, which has kept city crews active with sanding projects.
The issue of sanding streets and sidewalks arose during city council’s Jan. 9 regular meeting, with Coun. Crystal Froese inquiring about the former and Coun. Heather Eby asking about the latter.
City hall will initiate sanding operations when the streets become sufficiently icy, as per standard operating procedure, city manager Jim Puffalt explained. Municipal crews have been sanding steadily since Dec. 26.
“We’re generally out early in the morning before traffic starts to try to get to the major intersections. And then … we have routes we follow, and they (crews) go through the routes,” he said. “And depending upon the conditions, it could be we that we just carry on (from) one route and it goes to the next and to the next.”
Sanding crews have started working at 5 a.m. during the past few weeks and have been pulling 14-hour days, said Darrin Stephanson, director of public works. The crews run through the priority routes multiple times a day before moving into the residential areas.
He added that the department also makes responding to complaints in residential areas a priority before working in other places.
A resident called Eby about the city’s icy sidewalk program and addressing areas throughout the downtown, especially the sidewalk that runs past the police station and city parking lot.
“I didn’t know we take care of ice on sidewalks in that area,” she added.
“Yes, we do. We try to get to sidewalks as soon as we can, especially in public places like city hall,” said Stephanson. “That’s our responsibility to look after. And that sometimes can be delayed depending on what’s going on on the streets.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 23.
