Falls uses half its winter operations budget
The city has used approximately 51 per cent of its $3.9-million winter-control budget for 2017-18, according to figures from the end of February.
“This leaves us in a good position for the start of the 2018/2019 winter season as November/ December 2018 may be as active as this winter season,” said Marianne Tikky, the city’s manager of roadways.
With spring arriving this week, surplus winter funds will be placed in a reserve in the event the next winter season is a harsh one, such as the polar vortex winter of 2014/2015, she said.
The municipal works winter maintenance budget includes labour, material (sand, salt and cold patch), contracted services, sidewalk winter maintenance and trail maintenance. Transit operations maintains bus shelter and crosswalk clearing during and after a winter event.
Tikky said 55 vehicles are used for winter-control operations in Niagara Falls. She said this winter has been a typical one, which sees upwards of 10-plus full citywide plowing events.
“To date, the city has conducted nine full plowing operations with several partial plowing (rural areas) and full sanding/ salting operations.”
Tikky said as the last two winter seasons were quite mild, this winter has provided plenty of training opportunities for the city’s junior operators.
“With a number of our senior equipment operators retiring or nearing retirement, our junior operators have had time behind the wheel, which helps build their skill set.”
In an interview in late February, Weather Network meteorologist Brad Rousseau said this winter has been “pretty much” on par with what would be considered seasonal.
As for the Weather Network’s spring forecast, also released late last month, Rousseau said Niagara is likely to see near or slightly above seasonal temperatures, but likely an above normal amount of precipitation.