From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2018 7:11 PM
To: 'Figg, Carla (CP - Service Saskatoon)' <
Carla.Figg@Saskatoon.ca>; 'TU -
R&O Councillor Enquiry' <
tuROCE@Saskatoon.ca>
Cc: 'Mayor and Councillors' <
dlMayorandCouncillors@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Jorgenson, Jeff (City Manager's Office)' <
Jeff.Jorgenson@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Warwick, Patti (Solicitors)' <
Patti.Warwick@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Bogad, Christine (Solicitors)' <
Christine.Bogad@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Mintenko, Julie (CP - Media Relations)' <
Julie.Mintenko@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Rogstad, Mark (CP - Media Relations)' <
Mark.Rogstad@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Harris, Brandon (TU - Roadways & Operations)' <
Brandon.Harris@Saskatoon.ca>;
'Taylor, Jill (TU - Roadways & Operations)' <
Jill.Taylor@Saskatoon.ca>
Subject: RE: [ ~20473 ] Re: Return of the Snow Ramps
Hi Ms. Figg,
The City of Saskatoon believes the snow ramps aren’t a
safety problem, but it can’t prove this. As Stephen Hawking said, “What
one believes is irrelevant to physics.”
The barriers on bridges and overpasses need to be made much
higher to prevent cars from going over them due to snow ramps. This would
solve the problem of the snow ramps.
Sincerely,
Ashu M. G. Solo
From: Figg, Carla (CP -
Service Saskatoon)
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2018 8:12 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us; TU - R&O Councillor Enquiry <
tuROCE@Saskatoon.ca>
Cc: Mayor and Councillors <
dlMayorandCouncillors@Saskatoon.ca>;
Jorgenson, Jeff (City Manager's Office) <
Jeff.Jorgenson@Saskatoon.ca>;
Warwick, Patti (Solicitors) <
Patti.Warwick@Saskatoon.ca>;
Bogad, Christine (Solicitors) <
Christine.Bogad@Saskatoon.ca>;
Mintenko, Julie (CP - Media Relations) <
Julie.Mintenko@Saskatoon.ca>;
Rogstad, Mark (CP - Media Relations) <
Mark.Rogstad@Saskatoon.ca>;
Harris, Brandon (TU - Roadways & Operations) <
Brandon.Harris@Saskatoon.ca>;
Taylor, Jill (TU - Roadways & Operations) <
Jill.Taylor@Saskatoon.ca>
Subject: RE: [ ~20473 ] Re: Return of the Snow Ramps
Good morning Mr. Solo,
The City of Saskatoon appreciates your
concerns and will continue to monitor our bridges to ensure the snow ramps do
not become a safety concern for the citizens. We have full confidence in
our engineers and roadways team, as they are taking all precautionary measures
necessary.
Thank you again for voicing your
concerns.
Carla Figg
Carla M. Figg
Citizen Service Manager, Service
Saskatoon
City of Saskatoon | 222 3rd Avenue
North | Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5
Hi Ms. Taylor,
How can you be so sure that the remaining snow ramps won’t
elevate a vehicle over the barrier? Has there been any engineering
analysis to determine if the snow ramps are steep enough and not dense enough
to not elevate a small car over the barrier? If so, who did the analysis
and what was the methodology used? I studied engineering and physics at top universities. I don’t know
how dense the snow ramps I saw this week were, but they were high enough and
appeared not too steep to elevate a vehicle over the barrier. I’m not
claiming that you’re lying, but I don’t believe your opinion that the snow
ramps won’t elevate a vehicle over the barrier.
Besides the 2013 incident where a vehicle went into the
river, I’ve heard of another incident where a vehicle went over a Saskatoon
overpass barrier due to a snow ramp.
Saskatoon has really dangerous driving conditions due to the
harsh weather, but also due to the City of Saskatoon not listening to taxpayers
and not investing enough money and effort into de-icing and snow removal.
And we’re all paying for that.
Sincerely,
Ashu M. G. Solo
Good Morning Mr.Solo,
Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding snow removal along guardrails
throughout Circle Drive.
This year our snow maintenance crews have been trained using a new process of
up to 8 offset snow plows on Circle Drive, including overpasses and bridges.
The introduction of this process has led to approximately 85% of barriers along
Circle Drive being completely cleared of snow on the first pass. The remaining
15% is in what we call ‘no throw zones’. The snow that remains along 15%
of the barriers is not dense enough, is at too steep an angle, and consists of
an insubstantial amount of snow, to elevate a vehicle over the barrier.
Our operators avoid throwing snow
over the barriers in a few isolated spots so as not to cause property damage,
or put snow in pedestrian walkways. In these locations, we return to
clear those spots using a snow-blower and hauling to the snow dump. Overall
this service is much more efficient, reduces risks of ramping, and is less
costly than methods used in the last 3 years.
The instance in 2013 was a result of snow from several events
accumulating and packing against the barrier. With the new process, although
there may be snow visible against the barrier, we have alleviated the risk of
ramping.
Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Regards,
Jill Taylor
Customer
Support Coordinator, Customer Service and Operations Support
City of Saskatoon | 222 3rd Avenue North | Saskatoon, SK S7K
0J5
From: Ashu M. G. Solo <amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 11:38 PM
To: 'mayors.office@saskatoon.ca' <mayors.office@saskatoon.ca>; 'charlie.clark@saskatoon.ca' <charlie.clark@saskatoon.ca>; 'darren.hill@saskatoon.ca' <darren.hill@saskatoon.ca>; 'hilary.gough@saskatoon.ca' <hilary.gough@saskatoon.ca>; 'ann.iwanchuk@saskatoon.ca' <ann.iwanchuk@saskatoon.ca>; 'troy.davies@saskatoon.ca' <troy.davies@saskatoon.ca>; 'randy.donauer@saskatoon.ca' <randy.donauer@saskatoon.ca>; 'cynthia.block@saskatoon.ca' <cynthia.block@saskatoon.ca>; 'mairin.loewen@saskatoon.ca' <mairin.loewen@saskatoon.ca>; 'sarina.gersher@saskatoon.ca' <sarina.gersher@saskatoon.ca>; 'bev.dubois@saskatoon.ca' <bev.dubois@saskatoon.ca>; 'zach.jeffries@saskatoon.ca' <zach.jeffries@saskatoon.ca>
Cc: 'Jeff.Jorgenson@Saskatoon.ca' <Jeff.Jorgenson@Saskatoon.ca>
Subject: Return of the Snow Ramps
I saw more snow ramps right up to the top of the curb this morning on the Circle Drive Bridge and an overpass on Circle Drive. It has been several days since the heavy snowfall. The snow ramps should have been a top priority to remove. See my two emails below to the previous city council about this issue and see my StarPhoenix letter to the editor below about this issue. You haven't heard from me in a while because I was out of town, but I'm back in Saskatoon for a little while.
Ashu M. G. Solo
When you fail to adequately fund snow removal because you’re wasting money as specified in my email below, you cause more accidents, injuries, deaths, auto damage claims with SGI, SGI payouts, civil claims, police investigations, loss of work, problems for people, and so on. Much if not all of the money saved by not funding snow removal is paid out by other government organizations in paying for more SGI claims and staff, more police, more court cases and staff, etc. The totally inept handling of snow removal funding by this council has really made this city a much worse place.
There was a protest against police corruption in Saskatoon on Mar. 15, 2016. One of the issues raised was carding by police, a practice that is disproportionately used against minorities, particularly indigenous people in Saskatoon. The Police Services Board needs to immediately put a stop to this practice. Darren Hill and Charlie Clark on the Police Services Board have never experienced racist profiling because they’re white, but I have. Walk a mile in a nonwhite person’s shoes with your mind. Wake up. Wake the hell up and do the right thing. End the practice of carding.
On the City of Saskatoon’s Facebook and Twitter pages, the city is misleading the public about snow ramps on the sides of bridges and overpasses and implying that the snow ramps have been removed. I drove over some of the bridges and overpasses a few hours ago. I saw snow ramps that go right to the top of the rails on the North Circle Drive Bridge and snow ramps that go to the top of the side barriers on several overpasses on Circle Drive. I’m blind copying this email to the media, so they can hold the city accountable. Also, on Sunday, January 17, 2016, I saw snow ramps going to the top of the bridge rails on the North Circle Drive Bridge and on Circle Drive overpasses.
I cautioned you months ago that there were still snow ramps on the sides of bridges and the problem still exists. I understand that the totally incompetent and uncaring City Council isn’t allocating enough funds for snow removal, but removing the snow ramps on the sides of bridges and overpasses should be a top priority. There were 53 driving accidents on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. You can tell people to slow down, but that’s often not enough.
Below is a letter to the editor by me that was published in The StarPhoenix and that is available online at
Remember the snow ramps that launched a car off a bridge in 2013? They're back: Letter to the Editor
JANUARY 21, 2016 11:00 AM
Once again there are snow ramps on the sides of bridges in Saskatoon. In 2013, such a ramp caused a vehicle to go from the North Circle Drive Bridge into the South Saskatchewan River.
The streets now are extremely icy, which is causing countless accidents. How many people need to drive off bridges before city council wakes up and allocates enough money for snow removal and de-icing? How many winter driving accidents do there need to be before they open their eyes?
How many people need to be injured or killed, and how many cars need to be damaged before the mayor and councillors care? How many voters need to tell them to increase funding for snow removal before they listen?
City council has instead wasted taxpayers’ money on a new police station, an art gallery, Tasers for police, a transit lockout and excessive salaries and benefits for councillors. The mayor and councillors are inept and need to be removed from office in the next election.
Sincerely,