As the province gears up for winter, Nova Scotians are encouraged to do the same.

“Keeping our roads safe is our top priority – we don’t hold anything back in winter,” said Minister Geoff MacLellan, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. “While we’re getting ready, so should you — now is the time to winterize your vehicle; install winter tires, top up anti-freeze, and place an emergency kit in your car.”

Using more than 400 pieces of winter equipment, provincial operators work 24-7 before, during and after a winter event to clear roads for safe driving. The department’s standards are to have 100-series highways, trunk highways and other high-traffic roads cleared within eight hours after a storm ends.

Secondary and other medium-volume roads must be cleared within 12 hours after a storm. Local roads, streets in residential areas and subdivisions, and gravel roads are cleared within 24 hours.

“Our goal is to keep people moving — to their jobs, their schools and to get on with their lives as quickly, and in as safe a manner as possible,” said Mr. MacLellan. “To allow us to do that, we ask that drivers stay off roads in a storm, both for safety reasons and so plow drivers can clear more efficiently.”

This year’s budget for winter maintenance is $60.5 million, which includes $34 million for salt and salt application.

Nova Scotians can find out more about safe winter driving, including accessing the plow tracker tool by going to novascotia.ca/tran/winter.

For road condition updates, follow the department on twitter @NS_TIR or call 511.

FOR BROADCAST USE:

     As the province gears up for winter, Nova Scotians are

encouraged to do the same.

     Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Geoff

MacLellan says now is the time to winterize your vehicle —

install winter tires, top up anti-freeze and place an emergency

kit in your car.

     This year’s budget for winter maintenance is $60.5 million,

which includes $34 million for salt and salt application.

     For more information about safe winter driving, visit the

department website.

Source: Release