The City of Delta is getting ready for winter blasts on local roads.
In a presentation to Delta council on Monday, Engineering Director Steven Lan and Fire Chief Guy McKintuck provided an overview of the city’s planned response this year to extreme snow and ice events, as well as flood preparedness activities for Boundary Bay Village and Beach Grove.
As far as winter preparedness for roads, Lan explained how the city will be shifting to a newly established six priority system that focuses on ensuring key routes are cleared as expeditiously as possible.
Given the importance of the highest priority routes (1,2,3), clearing activities would continue on a 24/7 basis until roads are in an acceptable condition, his report to council explains, noting lower priority routes (4,5,6) would be cleared during normal working hours.
Although the priority ratings have changed for some of the roads from the previously adopted two priority approach, the levels of service should remain similar as the highest priority routes will continue to have clearing undertaken around the clock, the report adds.
The first priority roads continue to be those accessing emergency service locations, arterial roads and major transit routes.
Pre-wetting, salting, sanding and snowplowing are carried out as long as poor conditions exist.
Fourth on the list is select hilly residential areas, while select residential areas are down to fifth and remaining level grade residential streets are at the bottom at sixth, with all those works performed only during normal working hours, unless otherwise approved by the city manager.
The report notes that Delta’s independent weather forecaster (Weathernet) indicates the region may experience more precipitation and colder winter temperatures than last season.
As such, the Lower Mainland may experience more snow events compared to last year.
The Ladner and North Delta works yards are fully stocked with 1,300 metric tonnes of salt each, while a contract with Mainroad Contracting guarantees up to an additional 3,000 metric tonnes. The report notes that should be sufficient as historically Delta has used up to 4,500 metric tonnes of road salt during extreme winters.
The city also continues to make its own salt brine used to pre-wet the priority 1,2,3 routes in anticipation of snow and/or ice events.
Lan noted prewetting can be quite effective in ensuring snow or ice cannot adhere to the road.
Meanwhile, an emergency response protocol line was updated, a direct line reserved for police, fire and ambulance to request site-specific snow clearing to provide access during emergency situations.
The public “Winter Road Conditions” phone line (604-952-3820) is available providing a voice message, updated every four hours during a snowstorm, with the current weather situation and Delta’s response.
