A late December freeze, combined with freezing rain that followed made for challenging winter road maintenance and conditions, according to the City of Cranbrook.
Pavement temperatures remain below freezing, and with two to three feet of ground frost, any surface moisture continues to form ice.
However, warmer temperatures in the forecast this week are expected to help with city crews removing thick layers of ice that are on some of the local streets.
“Our team continues to work around the clock to scrape ice with loaders and our grader in priority areas and traction material continues to be put down at all intersections and hills,” says Derrick Anderson, Director of Public Works. “These warming temperatures this week will help greatly in our efforts to clear the ice off the streets. This really has been challenging for everyone – both our residents and our roads crews.
“We ask for patience from our driving public while we keep working to get the ice under control.”
Conditions formed just before Christmas, as an arctic front hit the province, bringing snow and creating temperatures as lows as -35C at night. After Christmas, temperatures briefly warmed up, but freezing rain followed, which added to already compacted layers of ice on city streets.
High priority and most secondary routes were able to be cleared first before the slush froze again, which has left up to a six-inch layer of ice on some streets.