One year ago today (December 20) was one of the coldest last winter had to offer – nearly -40.
Today it is firmly above freezing and raining, as Prince George’s Vancouver-style winter pushes towards Christmas.
Jordan Wiseman, City Manager of Roads and Fleet, told My PG Now the atypical winter has presented unique challenges, but nothing that can’t be managed.
“We try to combat the [freeze-thaw] with chloride and traction material, but we get soaking rain during the day, it will tighten up at night,” he said.
Wiseman said city trucks patrolling the streets and service requests from the community make up their current workload.
“Crews are staying busy with meaningful work,” he said, adding “moving into the holiday season, it is kind of nice this year – the last two years we have been blasted with snow.”
The lack of snow has also allowed crews to keep “slashing” and clearing ditches and blind corners of foliage that is starting to take over.
He did not have the statistics on hand, but Wiseman anecdotally said the last two years that had greener Christmases in Prince George were 2015 and 2009.
Wiseman reminded residents they can file a service request by phoning 3-1-1, or 250-562-7600, and asked everyone to remember to drive to the road conditions.