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Council member says that snow removal companies are doing their best

While there might be some rough spots when residents talk about the overall rating of road maintenance in the area so far this winter, an area councillor says overall, it’s been a smooth ride.

Highway maintenance crews are doing their best to keep the roads safe, says Lac La Biche County’s Plamondon-area councillor Colette Borgun.

Using her own recent experiences as background, Borgun says a late January trip west on Highway 55 revealed some pretty slippery areas and snow-covered lanes more than a day after the last snowfall. Picking up the phone herself and calling some municipal contacts, it didn’t take long for EMCON Services, the provincially contracted maintenance crew to be working on the issue.

“Parts of Highway 55 were very icy; even though they had been well plowed — but the situation was rectified,” said Borgun, referencing conditions on January 23. Borgun has also recently asked for more plowing services along Highway 858 that runs through the Plamondon hamlet. “I had a small issue with the plowing of Highway 55 through Plamondon and I made one call to Lac La Biche County and it was taken care of by our contact to EMCON.”

Overall — and especially with recent snowfalls, winds and polar temperatures coming one after the other — Borgun says crews are doing the best they can.

“I think they were doing their best with so much snow falling back-to-back. I feel that the roads in my area are very well maintained when talking about snow removal,” said Borgun, who also acknowledges the snow removal work that the municipal crews do to make sure residential areas in both hamlets are safe for drivers.

“Lac La Biche County snow removal people do an outstanding job with snow removal on our road, streets and trail system,” she Borgun.

As well as public roadways, municipal services provide some residents with driveway snowplow services. Residents who want driveways or short access roads cleared of snow pay a $25 fee for the service. The service is offered free of charge for seniors or people with disabilities.

Although road conditions can be a source of frustration for many rural residents, Borgun prefers to compliment the snow clearing services in and around the rural community for the challenging jobs they have.

“I think that during these trying COVID times small gestures of gratitude go a long way,” she said.




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