Clearing Vancouver roads of fallen trees, debris takes priority

In Vancouver, the easternmost portion of the city bore the brunt of the wind damage, said Loretta Callahan, spokesperson for Vancouver Public Works.

Most of the destruction came in the form of fallen trees and branches in roadways and parks. Callahan said the city’s public works crews responded to more than 30 dispatch calls for debris and vegetation Monday night and Tuesday morning.

“Our crews have been out since yesterday working through the night,” Callahan said Tuesday. “We’re still getting calls on trees down. I expect that we probably will, if winds are expected to continue to blow.”

Public works crews prioritized clearing trees and wreckage out of roadways, she added, “Because of the sheer number that we’re dealing with.” In most cases, that means moving the obstruction and leaving it at the side of the road for a second crew to clear later. Downed trees in public parks also took a back seat.

“The first priority is to get the trees cleared from the rights of ways,” Callahan said.

Crews focused their efforts east of Interstate 205, where multiple blockages along Northeast 162nd Avenue and Northeast 18th Street compromised traffic. The winds also knocked a large tree into Southeast McGillivray Boulevard early Monday evening.

Power outages also knocked out multiple traffic signals across the city. They all were back online as of Tuesday morning, Callahan said.