It was not the most severe snowstorm but 2016’s blast of winter weather could be costly for Coquitlam taxpayers.
Engineering and public works general manager Jozsef Dioszeghy said Monday that, to date, the city had spent approximately $1 million on snow clearing and road de-icing.
And city staff is beginning to assess the damage that has been done to local roadways, which could lead to significant increases in costs as crews work to fill potholes and fix damaged pavement.
“We are not even near in a position yet to assess the damages,” he said. “It is going to be costly and it is going to take several months to assess.”
The city’s 2017 paving program will have to be expanded, he said, and road crews are already filling potholes and fixing roads.
“It is going to be an ongoing process,” he said. “As soon as we become aware of potholes… we are on it.”
Of a more immediate concern is this week’s rainy weather.
In order to conserve road salt, the city mixed in sand when de-icing the streets. That means many roads will need to be cleaned and some drainage catch basins could be clogged just as heavy precipitation and snow melt is expected, Dioszeghy said.
Residents can help by ensuring drains on their streets are cleared and water is able to flow into them freely to prevent flooding, he added.
While December and January’s snowy weather was severe for the Lower Mainland, the 70 cm that fell in most parts of Coquitlam was not the worst in recent memory. Dioszeghy said the winter of 2008/’09 saw more than double the amount of snow — 150 cm — although he cautioned that there are still close two more months of winter ahead.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
@gmckennaTC
