Roadway crews shifting operations from snow to water

The warmer weather is bringing with it some challenges that crews are focusing on right now. The following is a summary of the issues currently being dealt with. It is expected that these issues will continue over the next month until temperatures are warm enough and frost is out of the ground.

Frozen catch basins

Water & Sewer Crews steam out frozen catch basins this time of the year to ensure proper drainage on City streets. There are 2569 catch basins in Prince Albert and it can take 15 min to 2 hours to thaw. You can report a frozen catch basin to Public Works at (306) 953-4900.

End of Snow Lifting

Snow Lifting season is coming to an end as the snow dumps have become too muddy for the Tandem Trucks to get in and out. Roadways will not be lifting any more snow for the rest of this season unless cooler temperature allows dumping, and it is still warranted. Roadway crews are grading some residential streets and plowing some back lanes that have bad ruts from melting and topping up Water and Sewer digs that are sinking

Potholes

Potholes are caused when moisture, such as snowmelt or rain, enters a crack in the pavement, then freezes and expands in cold temperatures. The expansion puts pressure on the crack, causing the asphalt to break away, resulting in a pothole. Vehicle traffic over the pothole can cause the edges to crumble, which increases the size.  Residents are reminded that new potholes will appear during the freeze/thaw cycle at this time of year. In order to help crews, locate potholes, the City of Prince Albert would like to encourage residents to report a pothole by using the online form: www.citypa.ca/report-a-pothole. Potholes are repaired based on the same priority system used for snow removal. The high traffic, arterial roadways will be repaired first, followed by school zones and bus routes, the central avenue business district, and finally residential areas.

Many of these issues must be dealt with simultaneously and the City is requesting the public's patience while Water and Sewer crews respond.

The City is not responsible for water issues resulting from snowmelt that has accumulated on private property but will respond if water from city streets or lanes is posing a direct threat to property.

Residents experiencing significant water pooling problems on their street can report the issue to the Public Works Department at 953-4900 or by sending an email through Report a Problem on the City's website.

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For more information, please contact:

Jeff Da Silva
Operations Manager, Public Works
306.953.4900