Highway Clearing Continues

Though the snow may have stopped, the Department of Transportation and Public Works' crews are still on the job today, Jan. 25, continuing to plow, salt and sand Nova Scotia's highways and roads.

Despite high winds and blowing snow, which often covered roads already plowed on both Sunday, Jan. 23, and Monday, Jan. 24, the province's 100-series highways were cleared within eight hours of the end of the storm, meeting department guidelines.

Transportation and Public Works Minister Ron Russell praised the efforts of highway workers who worked to open the roads for safe travel. "Our snowplow crews worked around the clock for two days and did a great job under extreme conditions," said the minister.

The department halted snowplowing on Highway 101 Sunday night as blowing snow reduced visibility to zero. "Making the roads safe for motorists is our primary concern," Mr. Russell said, "but the road is the workplace for many of our crews and their safety is also our concern."

All highways, trunks, routes and local paved roads throughout the province are passable but some are still snow-packed. Most gravel roads are open now and all roads should be clear by Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Crews will be pushing back snowbanks in the coming days, so motorists are advised to use caution near intersections where visibility is reduced. Parents are asked to remind children not play or tunnel in snowbanks along roads.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia.