Torontonians Frustrated By The City’s Slow Cleanup After Yesterday’s Record-Breaking Snowstorm
Toronto snowplows may not finish removing the almost 20 cm of snow until the weekend.
It may take days for snow removal crews to finish cleaning up the nearly 20 cm of accumulated snow from yesterday's storm in Toronto, according to city officials. Toronto witnessed an intense snowstorm that began early Wednesday morning and didn't come to an end until yesterday's evening commute. By 4:00 PM, clean up crews had salted highways four times, aerial roads three times, collector roads twice, and local roads just once.
READ ALSO: Today's Snowstorm Has Officially Broken Records In Toronto
But salting alone wasn't enough to prevent a buildup of fluffy white snow from wreaking havoc on Toronto roads. City officials report that plowing didn't begin on local roads until Wednesday evening.
According to Mark Mills, Toronto's superintendent of road operations, "We will review some of our local streets after this storm to see if we need to get into some of those streets to remove the snow. I think we may have to but that has yet to be determined...We think this will all be cleaned up maybe into Friday or Saturday morning and then we will have crews out there to assess what needs to be done.”
Mills has admitted that the storm "didn't happen at the greatest of times", as most city plows and salt trucks were blocked by the huge piles of snow that they were trying to clean up. Crews will continue to work as possible to get it cleared.
@mariakitty7But, a large number of Toronto residents aren't as optimistic. Many frustrated with the lack of snow removal have taken to social media to air their grievances:
@MississaugaSnow very disappointed in this years snow removal. I work in toronto and the 403 east and 403 west is NEVER plowed, meanwhile the 401 and 400 are always clear. How is it that one city can clear the highways but another city takes over 7 hours to plow... ridiculous....
— Natasha Brown (@natashabrown10) February 28, 2019
It might help if Toronto also knew how to plow roads 🙄
— Mackenzie (@Mackenzie2499) February 27, 2019
If you live in Toronto and your street hasn't been plowed yet, and you are wondering about where all the snow plows are, don't worry as they are all in front of my bus at the moment 😭 pic.twitter.com/d3YTi6iXMX
— Zenith (@Majiczenith) February 27, 2019
@TorontosMayor how is the city not plowed??? Most of us go to work and yet no plows to be found?? My street hasn’t been plowed at all this winter where do my taxes go? #toronto
— Jessica Kushner (@JessicaKushner) February 27, 2019
Toronto won’t plows anything that isn’t a main road too. So it’s gonna be slippery & messy 🙈 why can’t Mother Nature wait till tomorrow or last night lolol
— *Casperette* (@Casperette86) February 27, 2019
Some people have even reported injuries as a result of slippery sidewalk patches blanketed with snow.
READ ALSO: City Of Toronto Says It Will Take 16 Hours After Snowfall To Plow Local Roads
Giving me the caffeine boost I need in the AM and the #bandaids for my cut hand due to slipping on black ice. Thanks @Starbucks you the real MVP - customer service at its finest 👌😜 #EglintonandLaird #Toronto pic.twitter.com/5CcAohGe1i
— Stavro (@Toronto_Realist) February 27, 2019
WARNING: I just walked to my local supermarket & back (Toronto) and slipped three times & fell once because you can't see the ice under the new snow on the sidewalks. Ended up walking on the side streets & stopping as cars went by because it was safer. Let's be careful out there
— Lorrie Goldstein (@sunlorrie) February 27, 2019
Toronto is all fun and games until you slip on black ice
— PartyGetsMeWetter (@__subtle_) February 27, 2019
“It will extend our times to complete the plowing but please have extreme patience and give our crews the time and space necessary and we will get these roads in good shape,” Mills told CP24.