HIGHWAYS DISTRICT offi- cials are reporling an average number of calls from people com- plaining about the state of the roads now that winter’s herc. But Glenn Overholt, © who checks on road maintenance on the highway to the Nass and on Hwyl6 heading toward Prince Rupert says there have been no major problems so far. “There was a little bit of a problem with some equipment, but they've addressed that prob- lem,” he said of the performance of Nechako Northcoast Construc- tion Services Lid., (he company Stewart - truckers miffed A number of truckers in the Stewart area are not pleased with road clearing by the district’s new road maintenance firm. Two months ago the Ministry of Highways awarded — the Stewart-Hazelton-Smithers area road and bridge maintenance con- tract to Nechako Northwest Con- Struction Services, Nechako took over when the highways ministry pulled the con- tract from another firm. Nechako Northcoast also takes care of Terrace-area roads. Bul the Jate September an- nouncement that Nechako was taking over from Bulkley Valley Maintenance came too Jate in the season, some truckers are charg- — ing. The company did not have enough time to prepare for winter and as a result equipment was not ready, maintains Stewart-based Brown Bear Trucking owner Larry Rowe. . “'They’re running old ministry trucks and they’re junk. It’s not the workers’ fault... government awarded a late contract.”” Rowe said he has seen Nechako’s clearing equipment silting idle and broken. down, leaving road conditions two wecks ago ‘‘absolutely terrible”’ between Stewart and Kitwanga. Truck drivers have been com- plaining, and calling Victoria, Rowe said. But the issue had come up be- forehand, he added. Representatives from trucking- dependent firms in the area met with Nechako and the highways ministry in Stewart three weeks ago and brought up their con- cems, he said. At Icast half a dozen representa- tives at the Nov. 15 meeting had this message, he said: “There’s going ta be some ter- rible accident if they don’t get their act together soon,”’ Smithers and area district high. ways manager Reg Fredrickson confirmed that Nechako experi- enced problems with equipment in the Stewart arca. “It was in for repairs and (they were) caught occasionally with snowfall and cquipment in the repair shop,’’ said Fredrickson, who recently transferred — to Smithers from Vanderhoof. But the company is meeting ministry clearing standards, he stressed. “They were getting things cleared up — with mixed results. Hopefully we can continue to im- prove aver the winter,’’ The ministry monitors road work standards on a daily basis and ta date Nechako’s per- formance is adequate, Fredrick. son said. He added that the Nov. 15 mecling was part of a regular check-up that Highways organizes annually with industrial highway users. With snowfall of more than .a metre and a half over the past week clearing work has been ‘very steady,” sald Nechako general matiager Peter Landsdowne. The older units are taking a bit of care and maintenance,” he added. However, relief will come be- cause the company is nearing the end of installing winter rigging ona number of new vehicles, he said. In the Stewart arca such a unit was being test driven Friday moming and was expected ta: be ready for road use soon after- ward, he sald, AS - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 7, 1994 Winter road maintenance seems just fine this year that has the road maintenance contract in this area. “Other than that, it’s been pretty good,’’ Overholt added. He said that he’s received only ene complaint about the Nass road in the last month and a half, a sharp decline from last year. And Overholt ~ reminded motorists that they should drive according to road conditions. “When there’s a quick change in the weather, you can gel ice on the highway. It’s pretty hard to react instantly in a situation like that,’’ he said. Nechako Northcoast gencral manager Peter Landsdowne said the company is getting three new tandem trucks to help it clear and sand reads, “That makes 10 altogether,’’ said Landsdowne, An extra feature of the new tandems is an extra plow wing, making five trucks altogether to have the wing installed, The company is now using a tandem to clear the Shames Mountain Ski Road instead of a six-wheel drive as has been the case in previous years. But Nechako Northcoast is keeping some of the smaller four ton trucks that once formed the majority of its Meet, “The tandems are too big for the subdivisions. The four tons tum easier,’’ said Landsdowne. He said winter came earlier in the lower clevations than ex- pected. “There were a couple of storms that could have gone better. We did have equipment problems and an hour lost during a heavy snow- fall is a crucial —hour,”’ Landsdowne added, Nechako Northcoast operates around the clock during the winter months and has a road crew numbering approximatcly 40 people, NECHAKO NORTHCOAST mechanic Jon Heino checks out a new tandem truck that's joining the road maintenance company’s fleet. Ten tandems are operating in this area. 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