Delta mayor calls for emergency alert for snow
Posted December 5, 2022 3:52 pm.
Last Updated December 5, 2022 3:53 pm.
A Metro Vancouver mayor is calling for the B.C. government to review its snow removal contracts and consider using its emergency alert system to better inform drivers of dangerous road conditions.
In a letter to Transportation Minister Rob Fleming, Delta Mayor George Harvie describes the response to heavy snowfall in the region last week as a “recent failure of provincial highway winter maintenance.”
In response to traffic gridlock that occurred from last Tuesday’s snow storm, I’ve sent a letter to Minister Fleming asking for a review of the winter maintenance contract of the Lower Mainland provincial highway network.
Learn more: https://t.co/WSypMywjtG pic.twitter.com/LZbp3zfRX5
— Delta BC Council (@DeltaBCCouncil) December 5, 2022
He says some drivers from Delta were stranded in their cars for up to 10 hours, while those in other parts of the region have told media that 45-minute commutes turned into 12 hours of gridlock.
Harvie says it’s “very concerning” that while the transportation system was failing, some commuters were still trying to enter it.
As such, he calls for a review of the emergency alerting system to take place in order to notify regional residents when the provincial highway system is out of service.
The Transportation Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
More snow in the forecast for Lower Mainland
The open letter comes as the Lower Mainland will be getting another blast of wintery conditions this week.
CityNews Meteorologist Carl Lam says Tuesday will be a “mixed bag” in terms of conditions across the Lower Mainland.
“We’ll get a couple millimetres of rain and a slushy coating of snow at best,” he said, adding the daily high will be around two degrees celsius.
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Heavy snowfall last week led to chaos for commuters in the Lower Mainland. Drivers were stuck for hours as major arteries screeched to a halt because of slick conditions.
In the aftermath of the snow event, Mainroad blamed the issues on too many drivers hitting the road as a large volume of snow blanketed roadways.
Additionally, the B.C. government said it would speak with snow removal contractors on what lessons could be learned from the major snow event.
Related Video:
Ahead of the wintery weather expected Tuesday, Mainroad has sent an alert notifying drivers of lane closures for snow preparation along the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges.
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With files from Sonia Aslam and Martin MacMahon
