There’s going to be plenty of road salt available should Delta get hit with heavy snowfall this winter.
That’s according to an engineering department report to council on this year’s snow and ice control/flood preparedness, which notes the works yard in Ladner is fully stocked with 1,000 metric tonnes of salt.
The North Delta works yard is also stocked to full capacity with 1,500 metric tonnes of salt.
The report notes that the finance department has also secured a contract with Mainroad Contracting that guarantees up to an additional 3,000 metric tonnes of road salt for this season.
“This should be sufficient, as historically, Delta has used up to 4,500 metric tonnes of road salt during extreme winters, but uses between 2,500 and 3,000 metric tonnes in an average winter,” the report notes.
In addition to road salt, engineering operations continues to make its own salt brine.
Salt brine is used to pre-wet the priority routes in anticipation of snow or ice events.
The city has two specialized brine trucks that can be used to apply the salt solution, while all snow and ice equipment has been inspected and serviced for the upcoming season.
Operations staff, meanwhile, have been refreshed on snow and ice control procedures and have been trained on operating snow clearing equipment, the report adds.
Steps have also been taken to ensure staff coverage during the holiday season.
Staff have implemented a night shift truck driver seven days a week to reduce response time for snow and ice control from Dec. 1, 2021 to March 2022.
When not salting or brining, the night driver will provide routine inspections on major roads and overpasses while performing other duties.
The "Winter Road Conditions" phone line (604-952-3820) will be available to provide a voice message, updated every four hours during a snow-fighting event, with the current weather situation and Delta’s response levels.
Weather predictions for this coming season suggest this region may experience cool winter temperatures (La Nina) again, similar to what was experienced last season.
