Spring cleaning continues on city roads, with an end targeted for mid-May, weather permitting.
Sweepers will continue to operate 20 hours a day to clean nearly 1,650 kilometres of roadways and bike lanes. “Sidewalks, boulevards, islands. They’re all complete. Highway 33 and Highway 97 have been completed, and (remaining) roads are just under 50 percent complete,” according to Darin Thompson, Kelowna Roadways Construction Supervisor.
Crews have experienced some starts and stops to the process because of weather, and with twice the typical amount of sand accumulated on the roads this year due to the long winter, additional passes are needed to clear roads adequately.
Thompson says not paying attention to signage warning of upcoming sweeping areas creates delays too, “It means sweepers are leaving the area they’re working in to go back to do what they couldn’t get completed before and checking to make sure cars have been moved.”
Signage will be in place at least twenty-four hours before an area is scheduled to be swept. Signs may be up longer depending on weather and available sweepers.
Residents can make the most out of the spring sweep by moving vehicles off the road as well as any other items that could impede street sweepers such as basketball hoops. Sweeping sand and debris from sidewalks and boulevards into the gutters is also helpful for a clean sweep.