Carillion in Drumheller is on the ready for winter weather and has its entire fleet mobilized for upcoming winter conditions.
mailphoto by Patrick Kolafa
While it is midway through November, the valley is just getting its first taste of winter. Comfort should be taken that highway contractors have been ready for the snow to fly for well over a month.
Carillion is the contractor for the Contract Maintenance Area (CMA) 21, which encircles Drumheller. From the Drumheller base, it services north up Highway 9-56 to Morrin Corner, and then heads east on Highway 9 to Delia, and circles to the Verdant Valley Road back to Drumheller. It also covers east on Highway 10 to the Dorothy Hill, and Highway 10X to Wayne.
South of Drumheller, it is responsible for Highway 9 to Beynon corner and Highway 575 to Highway 21. It also services the secondary routes throughout these areas.
CMA 20 and 22 are also served by Carillion, but not from the Drumheller base.
In getting ready for the season, Alan Adams, foreman for CMA 21, says they have been prepared for some time for winter. He says the base had to prepare Winter Readiness Reports. The CMA maintains a consistent crew year round. He says by October 1 they are required to have one plow truck at the ready.
By October 15, they are required to have their entire six truck fleet at the ready.
The CMA has three Graders at the ready and its gravel and sand is stockpiled at their Drumheller yard. The surrounding CMAs share another unit to use when one goes out for service.
He said starting November 15 the Drumheller base begins its night patrols. This means the company has a crew member on the road, surveying road conditions, from midnight to 8 a.m.
If there is a weather event, Adams says the goal is to have all trucks on the road within two hours. Hills in the area are treated as a priority.
Carillion updates the province of Alberta’s 511 system that provides road reports to the public.
