With snowfall ranging from 30 to 90 cm during the course of the four-day storm, the region’s backroads are still mostly impassable.

Mainroad East Kootenay Contracting’s call centre has been overwhelmed with snow clearing requests now that the great snowstorm of 2017 has passed by.

“We do understand how everyone feels that their road is priority. We wish to remind the public that Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure roads are cleared on a priority basis – this is set by the ministry,” Mainroad stated in a media release.

The order is: firstly, numbered routes, then commercial and school routes, and finally, secondary routes, Mainroad outlined.

Please be assured that Mainroad’s crews are working 24 hours a day and have brought in extra resources to assist with the snow clearing.  With the record amounts of snow it’s going to take some extra time to get to everyone’s road. We’re asking the public to please be patient. We will get to your road as soon as we can,” Mainroad asked.

“We would also ask that people refrain from depositing snow from driveways, sidewalks, and walkways into the traveling lanes. Doing so only puts the public at risk and adds further delays to our snow clearing efforts,” it added.

Please note that Mainroad is not responsible for plowing within municipal boundaries or on forestry service roads and any snow plow discharge falling on residential driveways is the responsibility of the property owner, the company said.

Lead image: A half ton truck boxed in by a plow ridge and snowfall in Cranbrook, today (Feb. 7). Carrie Schafer/e-KNOW photo

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