Montreal residents are facing a challenging week ahead due to significant snowfall that has obstructed streets and delayed public transport. City officials indicate that snow removal efforts are lagging, with only 10% of the snow cleared from the extensive municipal network. Citizens are encouraged to work remotely and utilize public transport to ease congestion. The evening rush hour has been particularly problematic, with major roads experiencing severe delays. Concerns persist about worsening conditions as the week progresses.
Snow Woes in Montreal: A Week of Challenges Ahead
Streets blocked, sidewalks buried, and buses delayed: Montreal residents are bracing for at least another week of disruption stemming from the significant snowfall that has blanketed the city recently.
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According to Montreal City spokesperson Philippe Sabourin, “It’s unrealistic to expect the situation to improve in less than seven days, as we haven’t yet hit our stride in snow removal efforts.”
However, he could not provide a specific timeline for when the snow removal crews would finish their work. Currently, about 10% of the accumulated snow on the city’s extensive 11,000 km municipal network has been cleared.
“We cannot make assumptions […] Some residential streets are so deeply covered in snow that they must be prioritized for emergency service access,” Sabourin explained.
Advisories for Residents
He urges Montrealers to work remotely whenever possible over the next week or to utilize public transport for necessary travel. It’s crucial to minimize the use of personal vehicles to allow snow removal trucks and plows to operate efficiently on the streets and sidewalks, he emphasized.
“The snow accumulation is such that snowplows are getting stuck on sidewalks, making it impossible for them to pass. The only solution is to bring in heavy machinery to clear the snow,” he reiterated.
The ongoing snow issues were evident on Tuesday, with several buses experiencing delays of over 10 to 15 minutes.
Frustrations were high among pedestrians, as numerous local streets were rendered impassable, with snowdrifts exceeding a meter high burying parked cars and transforming them into effectively one-way routes without proper signage.
Rush Hour Struggles
The evening rush hour presented particular challenges, as noted by Philippe Laguë, a columnist for Radio-Circulation.
“The local network is facing the brunt of the difficulties, but even major roads have been impacted. For instance, Décarie north during rush hour resembled a parking lot,” he reported.
By 7:20 PM, three road sections remained closed in Montérégie, creating significant obstacles for drivers trying to access the Pie-IX bridge to Laval. “Navigating through the snow on the sides is very tight,” he added.
Laguë warned that those opting to drive will face ongoing challenges throughout the week due to the severity of the two recent storms.
“While conditions will improve gradually as we remove some snow, I am particularly concerned about Thursday. Historically, it has been the most challenging day of the week since telecommuting became prevalent,” he concluded.