* Mayor mulls snow-clearing changes after complaints*

COMPLAINTS about the poor job of sidewalk clearing following last week’s snowstorm have prompted Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman to speculate about changing how the work is done.

Bowman told reporters Wednesday he is willing to change the sidewalk snow-clearing policy, if the city can afford it.

“I’m open to making changes, if we can improve the quality of service for thosewho rely on our sidewalks to get around our city,” Bowman said.

“I think reviewing the policy is a good idea. I think we should be open to changes that can work within our financial means to improve the quality of service for those that have accessibility needs.”

Advocates for the disabled, cyclists and transit have long complained the policy favours vehicles over other forms of transportation, and last week’s storm only added to the controversy.

While most Winnipeg streets are clear of snow, sidewalks in many areas remain impassible. Many people complained city hall wasn’t following its own rules for clearing sidewalks downtown and on busy streets within 36 hours of the end of a storm.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re walking, biking or taking transit, the system we have is just not working for everyone,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg.

“A week delay between a snowstorm and a clean street that is accessible for you is just not workable.”

Allen Mankewich, a wheelchair

user who lives and works downtown, said there’s no question the city is not complying with council’s direction to clear sidewalks on busy streets at the same time as the roads.

“I live on a P1 (regional) street and I wasn’t even able to get down my street until earlier this week. A week after the storm, I had to go a different way each day just to get to work,” he said.

Mankewich said when he tried to manoeuvre a downtown sidewalk three days after the storm, he ended up flipping his wheelchair.

“The job that they’ve done wasn’t adequate,” he said.

“As far as I can tell, the snow-clearing policy that is on the books, they weren’t even following that.”

Mankewich said clearing sidewalks to compacted snow conditions is acceptable when the temperature falls below -20 C.

When the temperature hovers around freezing, as they have since the March 5 storm, the snow is too soft and creates conditions that are impossible to traverse for people who have mobility issues and for those who use a wheelchair.

He said some of those people have been forced to use roads, despite concern over safety.

Councillors have been waiting two years for a report on how to improve sidewalk snow-clearing.

In March 2016, the public works committee directed the public works department to work with various stakeholders— Winnipeg Trails Association, Bike Winnipeg, Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities and the city’s own active-transportation advisory committee — to establish terms of reference for a review of the policy, with the aim of developing a strategy that refocuses the priority to include sidewalks, as well as pedestrian and cycling paths.

It also asked for cost estimates.

After repeated delays, the administration is expected to deliver a report to the public works committee at its April 6 meeting.

While Bowman said he’s looking forward to hearing what the administration has to say, Cohoe pointed out it’s taken the public works department two years just to return with a request to initiate a study that will include cost estimates and options.

Cohoe said he suspects public works department staff is reluctant to initiate a study requiring council to find additional funds, if making sidewalks accessible across the city in winter is a priority.

In the meantime, Bowman said he wants to know if the department complied with the sidewalk policy this past week.

“The question that I’ve raised with the public service (is) whether or not the policy as directed has been followed and to what extent, over the last week,” he said. “The direction previous councils have established is that P1 (regional) sidewalks are cleared in the same priority as P1 roads.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca