Operation snow removal: Halifax still digging out from major storm

Work crews in Halifax have made significant progress in snow removal since early Monday, but the operation remains ongoing, especially for people on foot.

"Today crews are working on priority sidewalks and transit routes, and they will switch their focus tomorrow or the next few days to residential sidewalks," HRM Public Affairs advisor Brynn Budden told CTV News Tuesday.

There is a lot of snow to move around and it just takes a lot more time."

CTV Atlantic chief meteorologist Kalin Mitchell has said official snowfall totals in Halifax between Friday night and Monday were between 40-and-53cms.

Main roads were in good shape by Monday, but the city's emergency management director suggested it might take a week for all sidewalks to be completed.

Haligonians didn't have to look far to find un-cleared or only partially cleared sidewalks on Tuesday. Some were covered with drifts nearly waist high.

"The city is not doing enough," said one woman as she navigated down an icy, snow packed sidewalk. "I mean, people with wheelchairs, carriages, anything — you can't get around. They should do something better for us.”

"Sidewalks present a number of challenges, said Budden.”First and foremost, the equipment moves pretty slowly on a clear day. So, when they're pushing this volume of snow, it can be especially challenging because they're only travelling around three kilometres and hour.

"Another issue that happens often is having to go back to the same spot and clear it again. So, we have sidewalk clearing going on, and then sometimes a big plow comes by, and it fills that in, and that person needs to clear that again. So we have a lot of that happening around the city, especially in large snow events like this, and that can also be time-consuming and challenging."

Still, progress is being made.

Some downtown streets were closed Monday so crews could focus on snow-removal rather than just clearing.

A large, loader-mounted blower could be seen on Market Street, quickly filling a parade of trucks, hauling it away.

The work generally costs more because it requires extra trucks, equipment and man power, but it's too early to say what it will ultimately mean for the budget.

In the meantime, traffic could be impacted.

"The process when they make a stop doesn't take very long, but people can expect occasional delays as crews get to hauling this snow to get it out of the way, especially out of the downtown core," said Budden.

Mail delivery, suspended in the whole province Monday, resumed in Halifax Tuesday. The post office says it’s been dispatching contractors to clear snow at community mailboxes, and return to clear them again if a plow goes by.

"Canada Post is indeed responsible for the maintenance of community mailbox sites," said Canada Post media relations spokesperson Lisa Liu via email. "We have been doing so for over 30 years and continue to take this responsibility very seriously. We clear the area in front of the mailbox and, should a snowplough pass by afterwards, we will send a crew to clear the site again."

Liu said customers are welcome to report any issues with their boxes online or by phone at 1-866-607-6301 (TTY: 1-800-267-2797).

Just before noon Tuesday, the city's overnight parking ban was lifted; Budden says that's another good indication progress is being made.

From Friday night until 6 a.m. Monday morning, 1,446 parking ban tickets were issued, and 16 parking ban tows had been completed.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.