Some Halifax-area residents are questioning the speed and efficiency of the municipality’s snow removal response.
Those living in the Timberlea area, for example, say crews can’t come fast enough. Paul Bray, a resident of the area, said response times for snow removal and salting have been slow.
“I think something should be done because people got to go to work in the mornings, then coming home from work at night and got to fight all the snow that’s on the roads,” he said.
“I’d like to see them come out earlier when it happens.”
A spokesperson for the municipality says they’re doing their part to keep things clear, but that patience is necessary sometimes.
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“The municipality is committed to keeping streets and sidewalks clear and safe from snow and ice,” said Jake Fulton, a public affairs advisor with HRM.
“But given the vast expanse that is the Halifax region, it does take some time for crews to get to all areas.”
Sunday’s late-evening snowfall was only a few centimetres, but contractor Ali Salman says it was still difficult to deal with.
“Last night was a very unexpected move for me. I had a spin-out three times on the highway with my truck and my four-wheel drive and my winter tires. It is a scary situation at times,” Salmon, who works for Halifax Paving, said.
Fulton points to the municipality’s service standards, which differentiate between Priority 1 and Priority 2 streets.
“The start time for service standards begins when the storm has ended. That is, when snow accumulation has stopped,” he said.
“For Priority 1 areas, that is 12 hours from the end of the declared weather event. For Priority 2 streets, it’s 24 hours from the end.”
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