After a number of freeze/thaw cycles, conditions are slick in Edmonton.
City crews are working around the clock to deal with icy conditions but need the public’s help identifying slippery spots in neighbourhoods.
READ MORE: Heavy snowfall triggers Edmonton’s first parking ban of the season
“The past several days, the city of Edmonton has received several freezing rain events, including a substantial freeze/thaw cycle,” Marinkovich said.
“We have had units out around the clock addressing these conditions throughout our mobility network, including in our residential areas, which we are currently addressing on a complaint basis.”
The mobility network refers to anything that helps citizens move: roads, sidewalks, multi-use trials, bike lanes and bus stops.
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City workers are trained to remove snow, ice and windrows from bus stops, crosswalks and any curb crossings. Crews are also tackling icy spots by sanding and chipping sidewalks.
They have not yet started using the anti-icing calcium chloride solution.
READ MORE: Edmonton to continue spraying calcium chloride on roads for another winter
“We do pre-wet all our materials using calcium chloride. It does increase our effectiveness.
“But currently we are using a mixture of sand and salt that is adjusted based on the current conditions,” Marinkovich said.
“Currently the conditions have not been good or acceptable for the use of the calcium chloride but we will be using that tool when the conditions call for it.”
READ MORE: Edmonton clarifies snow policy — how quickly must sidewalks be cleared?
Between 11 a.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. Thursday, EMS in Edmonton responded to 38 calls for falls, at least 12 of which were related to environmental conditions.
To compare, EMS usually responds to about five calls on a typical winter day in Edmonton related to the weather conditions.
Watch: It turns out there’s a lot humans can learn from penguins when it comes to walking in slippery conditions. Emily Mertz explains. (Jan. 27, 2016)
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