City of Regina trying to tackle ice control in extreme cold

Many Regina streets are looking very slick and shiny after the weekend’s snow and extreme cold this week.

Chris Warren, the director of roadways and transportation with the City of Regina, said in this kind of cold, the city’s ice control doesn’t work as well.

“When temperatures are below -12 C, salt becomes less effective at melting ice so we increase the sand content of our ice control mixture to really enhance the traction on city streets,” Warren said Wednesday.

He explained liquid salt is only effective to about -25 C.

In the new winter maintenance policy, Warren said the ice control model has been enhanced but even that becomes a challenge at the temperatures currently being experienced in the city.

“Our goal is to really apply a lot more of the sand onto the city streets, basically as an abrasive and traction for the vehicles,” said Warren.

There are 10 sanders on the roads, according to Warren, and they’re passing by at four-hour intervals on high-speed roads and every eight hours on roads with schools and buses.

“Ice control is repeated in that cycle and will continue at those intervals until regular winter driving conditions exist and weather allows,” said Warren.

He said there’s also an effort to make sure the sanders are moving in a more co-ordinated way with the plows.

However, Warren said with such cold temperatures, the sand and salt are quickly tracked away and pushed to the side.

City crews went into storm response with the snowfall over the weekend and Warren expected the systematic plow from that to be finished by Wednesday night.

Warren said the city is encouraging people to leave extra space between their vehicles and give themselves extra time to get places. He also points to the free sand offered at 19 locations by the City of Regina to use on their sidewalks and properties at home.