Residents of Lethbridge are feeling frustrated about a new snow route network.
Last year, changes were made that affected 80 kilometers of roads in the city.
In January, Rod Peake, who lives in the Uplands neighborhood, had a terrible experience when 32 inches of snow were plowed onto the side of his driveway, trapping him in.
“There are many elderly people on this street, and the worry was how to get a stretcher over something that’s 32 inches high?”
Peake hopes the city’s new survey will address these issues.
“We need a new system for snow removal. After that January snow, it snowed a couple more times, but the plows didn’t even come down the street,” Peake added.
City staff explained that the snow has to be placed somewhere and that it’s a common practice in other places to plow snow right next to driveways.
“Communities are asking residents to assist with these programs by shoveling their driveways and putting the snow next to the driveways, on the curb, or in the grass, or wherever they can find space,” said Juliane Ruck, who manages transportation operations for the City of Lethbridge.
Larry Loxton moved to Lethbridge in 1959 and has lived at the intersection of 17th Street North and 2nd Avenue North since 1990.
He said he has encountered similar issues with the snow route program.
“The snow removal is good. It’s just that they’re putting so much snow back onto the areas we have to shovel all the time. I’m in my 70s and I have to shovel from old Harry’s all the way up to my back alley,” said Loxton.
The city stated that the survey results will be made public and will be considered for the next winter season, with full details being presented to the city council in June.
