Streets & Sidewalks
The City of Nelson Public Works department is responsible for the repair, upgrade and maintenance of streets and sidewalks. Within the city boundaries there are approximately 64 kilometres of pedestrian sidewalks and many kilometres of streets and laneways. Over time sidewalks deteriorate due to various factors, such as cracking due to frost action and tree roots, while potholes, cracks and other damage take their toll on city streets. The goal of the Public Works department is to ensure that public safety is maintained through its year-round schedule of repair and maintenance programs.
Maintenance & Repairs
City of Nelson Public Works is responsible for the maintenance of streets and sidewalks in the city of Nelson.
Street cleaning
City streets are maintained throughout the year. As winter operations wind down, sand cleanup commences. Windrows of snow and ice are scraped off the roadways in late winter and early spring, then sweepers and flush trucks start the final cleanup. A flushing and sweeping program continues throughout the remainder of the year, until the focus changes once again to ice patrol and snow clearing.
Paving
Paved surfaces are treated as assets, with both operational and capital replacement components. The operational component involves pothole and larger patching, minor reconstruction, minor overlays and crack sealing. Filling potholes keeps Public Works crews busy in the shoulder seasons, when freeze/thaw cycles wreak havoc on the pavement. Most major paving and repair takes place during the summer, when our capital program is in full swing. Pavement has a life span, and a yearly capital paving program ensures that some streets are repaved each year.
Sidewalks
City staff conducts a physical inspection of all sidewalks on an annual basis. This information is put into a database that forms the core of the sidewalk maintenance plan.
Signs and meters
New sign and pole installation and maintenance of existing signs is almost a daily undertaking. Each spring new lines and symbols (such as crosswalks) are painted on the roads, curbs and parking areas. Parking lots are maintained and repaired, including the downtown parkade. City parking meters are also straightened, installed or replaced as required. Work in the downtown core occurs almost daily, ensuring the public areas and roadways are clean prior to business opening.
Curbs and gutters
These features are an integral part of the street and require ongoing maintenance and replacement. Most curbs and gutters are concrete and are subject to damage from plow trucks, heavy equipment and freeze/thaw cycles. Drainage structures such as catch basins are built into the curb and gutter and require maintenance in order to ensure they are set properly and functioning as intended. Like the metal grates on the catch basins, manhole risers, lids and valve boxes are common in the road surface and require maintenance, adjustment and peripheral pavement repair throughout the year.
Not all city streets have curb, gutter and storm drain structures such as catch basins. In the absence of such structures, ditches and culverts are maintained in an attempt to control drainage. Larger culverts and bridge structures are subject to routine inspection. The results of these routine inspections form the basis of a yearly bridge and culvert maintenance program.
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