Give me an open road

BY BRENT FOX Kings County Register

It’s his first winter on the job, so he doesn’t have much to compare to.

Earlier this season, provincial Transportation Department snowplow operator Daniel Davis was kept busy clearing parts of Highway 101 in Kings County.

“ I love plowing snow,” he says.

During the weather respite just prior to the holidays, his and other machines were loaded with salt and ready to roll.

It’s a good thing Davis likes to plow snow, because severe winter weather came to - and stayed in Kings County - at least three weeks early this season, compared to the later and milder winters enjoyed in recent years.

Snow began to accumulate in early December, well before the official onset of winter Dec. 21. Temperatures remained at below freezing values – as low as -10C below seasonal averages - for most of the period prior to the holidays.

Being prepared – with the help of averaging - those responsible for keeping our roads and streets clear of snow and ice had things in hand; fiscally, too.

Transportation and Infrastructure Department Kings County area manager Fred Whynot said his crews were ready by early December. At 5,500 tons by the holiday week, road salt use was up 40 per cent over the seven-year average.

“Salt trucks were moving pretty constantly,” Whynot says. As for snow plowing, it has been up from recent years, “but it may not be that bad.”

Whynot notes operator training is done in the last week of November or first week of December. As well, “we fill our salt domes by the end of October.”

Since then, despite the long freezes, he points out, “we’ve brought in more than we used. We bring in more loads each day.”

In Kentville, chief administrative officer Bill Boyd says “we try to prepare for these types of winters.” This is done by averaging and taking into consideration the worst winter of that period.

“Snow is one thing, but snow and ice is a whole other ball game.

“We were fully prepared for it but, of course, that could change.”