WINNIPEG – Officials say city crews are working “day and night” on an extensive clean-up operation.
Winnipeg, and much of southern Manitoba, has been hammered by three snowstorms in less than a month.
In a news release the city said heavy accumulation of snow and high winds resulted in the need for continuous plowing and sanding.
A major focus for city crews is scraping ice and ruts of major and secondary streets, said Ken Allen with Winnipeg’s public works department.
“When the traffic drives over that accumulation of snow at those cold temperatures, that’s when they start to appear,” said Allen of the icy ruts that have appeared on city streets.
“In areas where we’re not able to get it down to the pavement, we’re going to be applying sand to improve traction on city streets,” continued Allen.
There are more than 400 pieces of heavy equipment working on clearing the snow, with work focused on “improving ruts that have formed on city streets due to high winds and frigid temperatures.”
Thirty pieces of sidewalk clearing equipment are also out.
A declared snow route parking ban remains in effect from midnight until 7 a.m.