Extreme cold causing icy conditions on Regina roads

The prolonged stretch of extreme cold is causing dangerously icy conditions on Regina roads this week.

City workers are braving the frigid temperatures to improve conditions on roadways in the city.

The temperatures have caused the polished and packed snow to become slippery on the roadways, particularly in the intersections, leading to issues for commuters on Wednesday.

“We do see where the sand and the salt that we are applying is quite quickly, through vehicles travelling over top of it, tracked and pushed to the sides,” said Chris Warren, director of roadways and transportation for the City of Regina.

Crews have been out plowing and doing ice control around the clock on high speed and high volume roads every four hours, and on school and bus routes every eight hours.

Unfortunately, the cold is having an impact on the ice control methods with salt becoming less effective at melting ice below minus 12 degrees.

“We increase the sand content of our ice control mixture to really enhance the traction on city streets,” explained Warren.

Traction is the biggest issue with icy roads. SGI is advising drivers to slow down when heading out.

“When conditions are like this, that traction that your vehicle has with the road is tenuous and it’s very easy to break,” said Tyler McMurchy, a SGI spokesperson.

McMurchy said the most important safety tool in the car in weather like this is the person behind the wheel.

“You’ll want to give yourself plenty of room to stop and to slow down and make sure that you don’t collide with any of those other drivers,” said McMurchy.

The city’s new Winter Maintenance Program is a coordinated effort that has ice control done quickly after a road is plowed.

In major weather events crews work 24 hour a day, seven days a week, but they will shift back to a 20 hour a day, seven day a week schedule when roads are back to normal driving conditions.

“As the temperatures start to warm up, we’ll start to adjust our mixtures to ensure that we’re putting the most optimal mixture down that can address those icy conditions,” said Warren.

Warren also recommends picking up free sand from one of the 19 locations around the city to keep your sidewalk safe and clean as well.

A map can be found on regina.ca and residents are asked to bring their own shovel and pail.

“We do encourage residents to clear their sidewalks and also help their neighbours when they may not have the ability to maintain their own sidewalk or if they’re on vacation, for example, to ensure that we have some continuity for all of those users of our sidewalks,” said Warren.

As of Jan. 1, 2022 a sidewalk clearing bylaw will be in effect in the city.