Dryden tackles growing snow banks

Big roadside snow banks are absent in Thunder Bay this winter, but the picture is different in other northwest communities.

City officials in Dryden are planning to cut down snow banks on the streets this week.

"Our snow banks are about three feet tall or maybe even a bit more," said Mike Louttit, Dryden's director of engineering.

He said crews have to remove snow where it interferes with sight lines.

"We end up with snow banks where people are concerned about their ability to see from the end of their driveways, or at intersections," Louttit said.

He added the city will likely tackle the snow banks on the main streets as well.

"[They] are significantly wider than our normal, smaller streets, [so] we end up with larger snow banks," he said.

"Then we'll go down the various streets and take a look at each of the intersections and see... whether snow is piled up there. We have a policy that we need to apply, and what (the public) expects."

Louttit said so far, Dryden is on track to stay within this year's snow-clearing budget.