Snow removal is underway in Steinbach as crews are getting rid of the snow piles from boulevards. 

Randy Reimer, head of the public works department, says they are splitting their days with different tasks. 

“We've been starting early morning to remove snow on boulevards,” he says. “You've probably noticed that around the schools, hospitals, and some of our main collector roads, we've been trying to tackle the snow on the boulevards to start cleaning up while we've had a bit of a lull in snowfall. And during the day, we're still out, just cleaning off some of the loose snow that's still on streets.” 

A lot of large machinery is required for snow removal, creating challenges for traffic. Reimer says they find that it is not as disruptive during the early morning hours, and safer. 

“When removing snow, we've got a lot of trucks and we've got a lot of equipment,” he acknowledges. “And with blowing the snow onto trucks, sometimes with the wind that makes visibility not as good.” 

Reimer appreciates the cooperation from motorists and pedestrians, giving the machine operators space to work. 

“I know people are all in rush nowadays to get wherever they're going, but when they see a lot of lights, whether it's on the highways or wherever it is, it just helps to slow down and give them a little space so they can do their job and make driving and all the transportation work better for everybody.” 

He also reminds us to keep the streets clear for snow removal operations. 

Signs are posted in advance, letting people know that snow removal operations are coming up for a specific area. Reimer says their crews can work more efficiently when they do not have to deal with vehicles that are parked on those streets.