Drivers can take to the road with greater confidence as the latest technology, some of which has never been seen on Shuswap roads, is used to maintain safe driving conditions.
AIM Roads received a contract from the B.C. government to maintain roads within the Shuswap in the beginning of April. The service area includes 4,940 kilometers of road, two mountain passes, and one ski hill. As the weather grows colder, AIM Roads is stepping up to keep those roads free of black ice and snow. The company has a variety of strategies and machines to maintain roadways, with 113 units including graders, tow plows and anti icing units.
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“We have many ways to approach any of the concerns that we get,” said Gabriel Nava, operations manager for service area 13. “We can deliver our sprayer trucks to eliminate black ice, otherwise I can send salt trucks, I can send sand trucks.
“I have enough equipment to battle any concern any problems we have on the road today.”
Nava says that some of the technology used by AIM Roads may not have been seen by Shuswap residents before. This includes an actuating tow plow that can clear two lanes at a time while also leaving a brine solution in its wake.
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Nava warns the solution spread by AIM Road’s trucks can leave the road appearing darker, and may be may cause some people to worry they are driving on patches of black ice. The brine’s ingredients are modified depending on the outside temperature, but usually contain a combination of salt, water and calcium, all to cutback on the use of sand.
Working with DriveBC, AIM Roads employs a communication strategy that keeps an eye on complaints of road conditions on social media and investigates complaints submitted through a 24/7 hotline at 1-866-222-4204.
@CameronJHT
Cameron.thomson@saobserver.net
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