City of Regina mobilizes snow-removal team earlier than planned

Tuesday night's snowstorm pushed road-clearing crews in Regina out a little earlier than expected.

Norman Kyle, director of roadways and transportation for the City of Regina, said his workers were called in Tuesday night and began salting and sanding the streets at 4 a.m.

The department was already in the middle of winterizing its equipment, according to Kyle, who said the formal transition was scheduled for Saturday.

"It's the Prairies. You can get snow in August so we have to be prepared for that," Kyle said.

The trucks started on streets with higher speed limits, like Ring Road and Lewvan Drive, and moved to others around the city.

Nine sanding trucks were on the roads Wednesday, which Kyle said is standard for the type of storm the city saw. He said workers were scheduled to fill the night shift as well.

Until the ground is frozen, salt and sand will be used to melt ice, Kyle explained. He said that later in the season, a liquid anti-icing agent of magnesium chloride will be used instead. 

One town in Manitoba has tried using beet juice to melt ice on its streets, and some cities in the U.S. are using cheese brine, according to Kyle. He explained those choices all come down to what's available.

"If there are environmentally friendly alternatives we would look at them," he said.

A snow route parking ban was not in effect on Wednesday. Kyle said it is only called for during systematic plows, when more than five centimetres of snow has fallen in one accumulation.

If you hit a slippery patch of road, you can call 306-777-7000 to report it.