EDMONTON – While the unseasonably warm weather is being welcomed by many Edmontonians, it’s making for some rather slushy, messy, and at times unnavigable conditions on city roadways.
“A trying experience, for sure,” Ashley Sexsmith said of her struggle to get around her southwest Edmonton neighbourhood. “It’s like basically driving through a bowl of oatmeal.
“Stuck cars everywhere. All day we could hear the wheels going from inside the house.”
While the majority of main arterial roadways are clear, deep ruts have formed on many residential streets, causing vehicles of all sizes to get stuck.
“It’s been absolutely horrible,” said south Edmonton resident Greg Brunette. “I’ve gone down my road and seen 15 vehicles at once stuck, with a tow truck just working his way down, pulling people down the road for free because he felt so bad.”
The City of Edmonton has taken notice. On Wednesday, windrow removal was suspended so crews could shift their focus to blading.
Bob Dunford, Director of Roadway Maintenance with the City, says crews have been seeking out problem areas and will be blading those streets first.
“It’s not a general condition, it’s pocketed where they’re having some difficulty. These are probably the areas where the snow pack was a little bit deeper,” Dunford said. “The worst pockets are the newer developments with the different urban form. You know, you get less room between driveways, you get more cul-de-sacs and curves and bends.”
A full round of residential blading will begin on Monday. While parking bans will not be implemented for residential streets, Dunford is asking motorists to avoid parking on the street wherever possible, so crews can do a proper job.
“When it comes to residential blading, when it says Monday or Tuesday, we work midnight to midnight… we’re working around the clock,” he said. “We could be there in the evening and through the night.”
Dunford is also warning motorists that because of the frequent freeze/thaw cycles the city has seen this winter, potholes have already become an issue.
“With warm weather, comes of course, potholes,” he said. “We’re out doing potholes now, we’re going to continue right through the weekend.”
Meanwhile, Sexsmith hopes blading crews arrive in her neighbourhood sooner rather than later.
“They haven’t come out to plow our street yet this winter,” she said. “Nothing has happened. No one has been here. I’m home all day, in and out. I have not seen a truck here yet.”
For the full residential blading schedule, visit the City of Edmonton’s website.
With files from Shane Jones, Global News.
Comments