PoCo gets ready for snow with small trucks, big tech

If all goes according to plan, Port Coquitlam staff will hit the street before the first snowflake does.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, manager of public works David Kidd rolled out the city’s snow strategy, which includes a fleet ranging from backhoes to Ford F-150s, as well as an online map that lets residents know when the plow’s arriving on their street.

The map should basically function like a snow plow version of Pac Man, with the streets changing colour based on if and how recently they’ve been plowed. Updates will be posted on a delay of about 10 to 15 minutes, according to city staff.

In order to move the city’s 25,000 litres of brine and it’s 850 tonnes of salt around Port Coquitlam, the city has a fleet of two backhoes, one loader, four dump trucks, six F-550s, two F-350s and four F-150s outfitted with plows and salt spreaders.

The smaller pickup trucks should help the city move from its top priority routes – main roads, steeps and school zones – onto collector roads, bus routes and eventually to industrial side streets and roads leading to subdivisions.

“With all due respect to the avid cyclists in the city, I think this is what we’re here for,” Coun. Dean Washington said Tuesday.

The only flaw in Port Coquitlam’s snow response are the sections of the city under the jurisdiction of the province, such as the Mary Hill Bypass and Lougheed Highway, commented Mayor Brad West.

“I have noticed on occasion that it’s not keeping pace with what the municipality is responsible for,” he said.

While it wouldn’t happen this year, Coun. Steve Darling suggested the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure could sub-contract its snow clearing duties to Port Coquitlam.

More cautious was Coun. Darrell Penner, who said he’d need to see a business case before assigning more work to city staff.

“I would be quite cautious about going down that road,” he said.

Penner also asked about dealing with sidewalks in the city.

“Technically, residents are supposed to clear . . . their sidewalks, but there’s a whole host of reasons why people can’t or don’t do it,” he said.

Port Coquitlam homeowners and businesses are required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks bordering their property by 10 a.m. following snowfall or face a fine.