ODOT ready to fight winter in Mahoning Valley

October 31, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

Ohio Department of Transportation gets ready for ice, snow

CANFIELD

Many Mahoning Valley residents likely are enjoying the remainder of autumn’s colors while looking forward to a forecast calling for above-average temperatures next week with plenty of sunshine mixed in.

So perhaps the last thing they want on their minds is the thought of dealing with winter’s mix of ice, snow and subzero temperatures – especially given the harshness of the past two winters.

But those are precisely the conditions for which Ohio Department of Transportation officials continue to prepare and plan.

“The last two winters were the most-expensive winters in Ohio history,” Justin Chesnic, ODOT District 4’s public-information officer, said during Friday’s Mahoning County Operational Readiness gathering at the department’s county garage, 401 W. Main St. “We used nearly 1 million tons of salt statewide during the last two winters.”

The one-hour event was to highlight how prepared the district’s fleet of snowplow trucks and salt spreaders are for this winter, Chesnic noted.

As part of that effort, snow- and ice-removal equipment has been tested and repaired, salt barns countywide have been filled, and mechanics are trained to handle the conditions, he explained. In addition, ODOT personnel throughout the state are conducting 150-point inspections to make necessary vehicle repairs and adjustments, Chesnic continued.

Also, part of the local fleet is a 3-year-old tow plow that attaches to a snowplow truck and enhances its ability to remove snow and ice from major thoroughfares such as Interstates 76, 80 and 680 as well as state Route 11. That vehicle extends about 8 feet outward and clears an extra lane, he added.

Two factors that may make dealing with this winter easier for Mahoning County residents are that the county has 25,000 tons of salt in reserve, and that the price of salt dropped to $61 per ton this year, down from about $105 per ton last year, Chesnic continued.

Also, the county’s 22 trucks are equipped for road conditions in extreme cold because they can use a combination of 80 percent brine and 20 percent beet juice and calcium, noted Joseph A. Maslach, District 4’s transportation administrator.

Beet heat is effective mainly because it adheres to road surfaces longer than brine and is environmentally friendly. It’s also less corrosive than salt, Maslach said.

ODOT crews also pretreat bridges, ramps and overpasses because they freeze faster, he said.

When the snow starts, ODOT personnel typically work 12-hour shifts so that work is done around the clock, said Maslach, adding that the department also monitors five weather stations and has a close partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The first snowflakes may not fly for several weeks or more, and motorists still have plenty of time to prepare for less-than-ideal driving conditions. Every year before the first snowfall, however, some drivers are caught off guard because they fail to adjust to the conditions, Chesnic noted.

So when winter makes its presence felt in the Valley, people are urged to drive without distractions such as talking on cellphones or texting, he warned. In addition, they should avoid passing or getting too close to snowplow trucks and carry a winter-safety kit, including water and blankets, in their cars, Chesnic said.

“We use the phrase, ‘Don’t crowd the plow,’” he added. “The first two storms are always the worst.”