25 Sep 2023 Council meeting Transportation

Winter Maintenance Policy

Motion
That Council endorse the Winter Maintenance Council Policy COU-220 as attached to the September 25, 2023 report titled "Winter Maintenance Policy".
Sources
Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting
Staff reportPage 1
Purpose
To introduce a new Winter Maintenance Policy (one of three core policies to form part of a unified approach to asset maintenance).
Staff report, page 1
Staff recommendation
That Council endorse the Winter Maintenance Council Policy COU-220 as attached to the September 25, 2023 report titled Winter Maintenance Policy.
Staff report, page 1
DocumentsStaff report about Transportation & Mobility

Questions and answers

Councillor Janice Perrino
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
Jerry. I actually have two questions. If I might, Mr. Thompson. The Council policy, which we got a copy of so that we could read through it's. Excellent. By the way, I just wondered, for my own knowledge, it talks about under snow removal. It says the City of Nanaimo does not remove snow. I'm assuming that you mean to actually pick it up and take it away? Is that
Bill Sims
Speaker identificationConfident
answeredGeneral Manager, Engineering and Public Works
correct? Correct. We remove the snow. We clear the snow, road surface or the other surface that we're working on. We push it to the side. We do not remove
followed up
Snow. That involves federal actions. Okay. No, that's great. Level of service. Okay. I just wanted to check and also and I was talking to Mr. Sims about this. We received an email this afternoon. From a family member that talked about their area being a priority area, given the population of where they live. And I just wondered if you could just briefly explain why. You can do it for some like the hospital and obviously schools and things like that, but not so much others. As I said,
Bill Sims
Speaker identificationConfident
answeredGeneral Manager, Engineering and Public Works
We've set these priorities in conjunction with emergency services, transit, major transportation corridors. I did see that email. Yes. That sounded like. A road where people live nothing more. And if we obviously Council can choose to change the priorities. But I would caution. On equitable decisions across the city, we got 90 cover an eleven 100 roadway, limited resources. So what we can do is written in this policy. And as Mr. Sim said. We can exceed that. I'm always happy when we exceed the minimum standards. But I would caution counsel against making rash decisions. Or might have
Bill Sims
Speaker identificationConfident
answeredGeneral Manager, Engineering and Public Works
unintended consequences. Thank you. Thank you, madam Chair. If I could just add a little bit too just to round out the question was really around. As Mr. Thompson mentioned, we had BC Transit Emergency services. Fire, police, ambulance all sort of working together several years ago to establish what sort of dose minimum thresholds were. And really the focus is on providing emergency service, right. We're trying to create. The Emergency routes. For those emergency services we're trying to create, make sure that the transit routes are open so that people can take transit. Our major arterial roads are open. Those are our priority ones. Our priority twos. Slip more into connector roads that sort of join up the priority ones. And then lastly, the priority threes and parks. Operations Mr. Groot's on the line for any specific questions, there have. A similar. Approach. To. Where the needs are as well. I would say similar to what Mr. Thompson said. The low volume residential roads are not the priority. And as harsh as it might sound. The public convenience that we're serving. We're serving the emergency. Access and I will always underscore an Emergency services. Know to reach out if they have a remote. Call to go to whether it's police, fire or ambulance, they can call public works because we're often running 24 hours a day and will scramble. Vehicles to make sure that emergency services can get

Councillor Paul Manly
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
in. Thank you. Thanks. Chair. Councilor Manley. I can't remember the exact number, but maybe Mr. Sims can remind us. But the Mayor is fond of saying that we have over 700 cul de sacs in this community. And so you've chosen to live on a nice, quiet street. You may not get the snow removal. That you desire the level of snow removal, but. That's the trade off that
Bill Sims
Speaker identificationConfident
answeredGeneral Manager, Engineering and Public Works
People have. Is that a correct number? 700 in some. Chair I'm sorry to say that councilor manley is a little low on his estimated. It's actually nearly 800 at this point in time. So. It's challenging as you can imagine, to clear all those small streets. Thank you. Seeing