Snow clearing

The city promised that 70% of the roads would be cleared by today. A big promise indeed as the roads were a mess after a record snowfall for a Dec 29th - 39.2 cm - and a week of further accumulation with snow falling every day. The previous record of a mere 30.5 cm was set in 1954.

Snow removal crews were hard at work after a couple of days off to celebrate the new year. Three thousand employees and 2200 pieces of equipment have to clear about 10,000 kms of roads in the city. A big job!

At long last, 3 people with 3 powerful bulldozers made it to our street this afternoon: one relatively small tractor for the sidewalks, a medium-huge one to handle our curvy cul-de-sac, and one with a monster bucket to scoop and flatten the biggest piles.

Boy, do they move fast! It took just over half an hour to move the mounds and mounds of snow from the street in front of the six homes on our little circle. Some of the other streets in our neighbourhood weren't as lucky though and will have to wait until tomorrow. 

They did a great job - even coming into the driveway to clear the heaps that were left at the end by the first few passes of the plow. Well done guys!