As the weekend approaches, the city of Barrie staff including road crews are doing two things: monitoring the weather and preparing for an assault on a major winter storm.
According to Director of Roads, Parks and Fleet, Dave Friary, the latest weather report is calling for the rain to change to ice pellets rather than freezing rain and leave the region with 20 cm. of snow.
"Snow would actually be the better scenario because it is easier to deal with. It looks like the snow could begin about 2 or 3 a.m. Saturday. Either way, we use salt on arterial roads and a mixture of salt and sand on residential roads."
There are 30 snowplows, 15 sanders, 25 sidewalk machines and all forestry, traffic and staff on standby.
Ironically, the city's contract with its winter contractors ends April 15th.
Friary says "They are also going to be on the job, if necessary."
He adds "It's difficult to do any advance preparation. When its raining, there's no point in putting brine on the roads as it will just wash away. If a half an inch of ice builds up on tree limbs, it adds about 500 lbs. in weight. That's when we get the downed tree limbs and powerlines."
City spokesperson, Scott Lamantia says residents are being encouraged to follow @AlectraNews on Twitter, download the app and follow the outage map at this website. The phone number to use to report a power outage in Simcoe County is 1-877-963-6900.
Alectra is advising residents to prepare a 72 hour emergency kit consisting of food, water, batteries, a flashlight, blankets and medications in the event of a sustained power outage.
If you encounter downed power lines, stay about the length of a school bus away and call 911.
The city says Barrie Transit will operate as usual through the weekend.
Flashing or blank traffic lights should be treated as 4-way stops.
Georgian College has postponed the open houses planned for Saturday at its campus' in Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Midland, Muskoka, Owen Sound and Orangeville.
All have been re-scheduled to Saturday, April 21
