by Ian Elliot
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 13/98) - Town councillors -- one of whom just got off crutches after breaking her ankle after slipping on ice -- are going to see if the town's roads can be improved to make it safer for cars and pedestrians.

The town has contracted out its snow-clearing and sanding services and the high-gloss, low-traction streets that have been bedeviling pedestrians and drivers this year came to council's attention this week.

"Main Street last weekend had to be barer than our skating rink," councillor Dan Davis said at a committee meeting on Monday. "They're blading it absolutely smooth."

Councillor Shirley Kisoun, who brought up the problem after breaking her own leg on town property, said she noticed sidewalks and streets in town are so bare and slippery they are a hazard to pedestrians and cars are sliding all over the roads.

She said she knew of five other people who have broken ankles or other bones this winter after falling and are worried about the safety of children walking to school.

"We'll have every second child on crutches pretty soon," she said.

Councillor Vince Sharpe noted that the problem was worse when temperatures rise in the spring, causing the road to warm during the day and melt the snow, which then re-freezes at night.

Intersections and hills in town are particularly bad and a lively debate developed among councillors who noted that gravel was laid down at intersections for traction but not necessarily along the rest of the street.

"Oh, you mean that stuff that flies off when you drive over it, or hits someone else's vehicle?" asked Davis jokingly.

The town is going to look at the state of Inuvik's streets and recommend any changes to make life easier for cars and pedestrians.

Town sidewalks are not sanded.