The City of Richmond is gearing up for winter by preparing extra salt brine, road salt, snowplow equipment and staff training.
Last year, Richmond and cities across Metro Vancouver experienced a traffic gridlock on Nov. 29 due to ice and snow-covered roads that closed bridges and had people stuck in traffic for hours including on Steveston Highway.
Furthermore, the city experienced 40 ice-related and four snow-related events from Dec. 18 to 23 last year.
Larry Ford, manager of roads and construction services at the City of Richmond, said in a report to the city that 2022 was “one of the worst winters since 1999,” setting new record cold temperatures and the third highest snow accumulations in the past 25 years.
This year, the City of Richmond has increased its salt brine stock from 115,000 litres to 145,700 litres in an effort to reduce the use of salt on roads citing it as the “preferred anti-icing treatment” for roads.
“The salt brine is effective, is operative in temperatures as low as -15C, is inexpensive in comparison to salt, and has lower environmental impacts,” reads the report.
Salt brine also lasts longer than regular road salt, according to Ford.
The city has also prepared a total of 1,050 tonnes of salt with an additional 2,200 tonnes in reserves.
If snow and icy weather hit the city earlier than expected, there are also 450 tonnes stored at the city works yard.
There are also 39 city-owned equipment being prepared for a major snow response.
City staff is looking at discussing snow removal priorities for bus stops and wheelchair letdowns on priority routes across Richmond.
Meanwhile, a snowplow information map to show routes that have been plowed in Richmond is currently in the works. The trial of the map will begin this winter and is expected to be open to the public by 2024/2025 winter season.
The annual snow plan will be reviewed at the city’s public works and transportation committee meeting on Nov. 22.
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