01-11-2018, 12:58 AM
I thought I posted this earlier, but it doesn't look like it went through.
Apparently the current GRT contractor for snow removal is Forestell Designed Landscapes. They got the contact for November 15, 2015 to April 15, 2020 for $114,783.40 for each month their services are needed in.
The actual requirements from the bid document (T2015-220 Snow Removal – Grand River Transit Bus Stops) state that "the contractor shall commence ploughing of snow and removal of snow/ice from all bus stops including sidewalk connections...the first evening upon notification by the Region...this will be completed within 72 hours of a snowfall of 50mm...from the time of commencement, the ploughing of all bus stops shall be completed within 48 hours...hard surfaces are to be cleaned to the bare pavement..."
So it sounds like the contactor has 72 hours to start ploughing every stop and has another 48 hours to finish ploughing each stop. So five days total to clear all stops down to the pavement.
It seems this is playing out. All of the stops along Belmont, Highland to Union, have had snow moved, but no where close to down to the pavement. It seems as though the contractor is using some sort of Bobcat and they only clear areas it can fit in, which is not much when you consider the geometry of a bus stop sign pole, shelter, utility poles, etc. The end result is that snow actually gets piled up in front of shelters of along the road way or sidewalk worse than it was before the "cleaning." Almost like the contractor is just ticking the box, "yup, started clearing the snow within 72 hours" to buy themselves an extra 48 hours to get it down to the pavement (or hope for foot traffic and a thaw to finish the job for them).
Highland at Patricia:
Highland at Ruby:
Belmont at Union:
This is an example of misplaced effort on the city's part, Woodside Ave (west side):
Because Woodside Park is city property the city plows the sidewalk, but the sidewalk doesn't actually connect to anything (there is about 5m gap between the end of the sidewalk and the sidewalks inside townhouse complex). But it is one of the cleanest stretches of sidewalk in town (I think because the plow often goes down, turns around, and goes back on the same side).
Apparently the current GRT contractor for snow removal is Forestell Designed Landscapes. They got the contact for November 15, 2015 to April 15, 2020 for $114,783.40 for each month their services are needed in.
The actual requirements from the bid document (T2015-220 Snow Removal – Grand River Transit Bus Stops) state that "the contractor shall commence ploughing of snow and removal of snow/ice from all bus stops including sidewalk connections...the first evening upon notification by the Region...this will be completed within 72 hours of a snowfall of 50mm...from the time of commencement, the ploughing of all bus stops shall be completed within 48 hours...hard surfaces are to be cleaned to the bare pavement..."
So it sounds like the contactor has 72 hours to start ploughing every stop and has another 48 hours to finish ploughing each stop. So five days total to clear all stops down to the pavement.
It seems this is playing out. All of the stops along Belmont, Highland to Union, have had snow moved, but no where close to down to the pavement. It seems as though the contractor is using some sort of Bobcat and they only clear areas it can fit in, which is not much when you consider the geometry of a bus stop sign pole, shelter, utility poles, etc. The end result is that snow actually gets piled up in front of shelters of along the road way or sidewalk worse than it was before the "cleaning." Almost like the contractor is just ticking the box, "yup, started clearing the snow within 72 hours" to buy themselves an extra 48 hours to get it down to the pavement (or hope for foot traffic and a thaw to finish the job for them).
Highland at Patricia:
Highland at Ruby:
Belmont at Union:
This is an example of misplaced effort on the city's part, Woodside Ave (west side):
Because Woodside Park is city property the city plows the sidewalk, but the sidewalk doesn't actually connect to anything (there is about 5m gap between the end of the sidewalk and the sidewalks inside townhouse complex). But it is one of the cleanest stretches of sidewalk in town (I think because the plow often goes down, turns around, and goes back on the same side).
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.