Caution encouraged as Charlottetown snow cleanup continues
Storm cleanup will take another week
Charlotteown pedestrians and motorists are being asked to be cautious as they navigate the city's streets.
As Charlottetown's public works crews continue to clear the snow from last week's back-to-back snowstorms, people are still left with no choice but to walk in the streets.
Many of the streets and sidewalks in the city are clear, but the side streets remain a problem.
Matthew Murphy carried his son to school, opting for his child to be safe rather than walk in the street.
"If you have a kid and you have to walk in the middle of the road, and they're narrow enough to begin with, the cars are sliding everywhere. It's terrifying," said Murphy.
Some are opting to walk in the snowbanks rather than the streets.
Public works manager Paul Johnston said he understands pedestrian's frustrations.
"It's a difficult situation for the pedestrians. We know that," he said.
Long days for snowplow operators
It will take another week for crews to finish clearing the sidewalks. The issue they face is some of the snow drifts are actually taller than the sidewalk snowplows. Johnston said snowplow operators are working 16 to 18 hours a day to get the job done.
Snowplows did remove a lot of the snow from around schools on the weekend and Monday.
Crossing guard Mary Morrison says it scares her to see people walking on the street, but added it is getting safer to get around.
"It's a big improvement today from last week, very big because last week there was no sidewalk anywhere. I was concerned about some of the older people," she said.
Johnston said pedestrians and drivers will need to be cautious for a bit longer.
Emergency responder challenges
High snowbanks can also pose a problem for emergency crews responding to an emergency call.
North River Fire Department Chief Kirby White said homeowners need to uncover their civic numbers if they are under the snow.
"It's a big help to us and a lot quicker for us if we know where we are going. If we can't see your number, it's pretty hard for us to get to you," he said.