Saturday, October 22, 2016
CANFIELD
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission performed its yearly inspection on 11 trucks Friday that are prepared for the snow and ice season.
During the unpredictable winter months, turnpike commission workers are responsible for 1,395 lane miles, 31 interchanges and 14 service plazas for 12 hours a day and sometimes seven days a week.
Christopher Kalis, turnpike commission roadway foreman of the Canfield Maintenance Building, said this final check is essential to ensuring the safety and proper function of the trucks and equipment for winter.
“Safety is always first and foremost,” he said. “Another key point to inspect is proper calibration of the salt dispenser so we are not putting out an excess of road salt when we are out.”
With properly calibrated vehicles, the trucks put down about 66,000 tons of rock salt a year.
“In rough winters, we can use as much as 100,000 tons,” said Brian Newbacher, turnpike public information officer.
To maximize the life of the rock salt, it is mixed with a noncorrosive liquid calcium pre-treatment solution.
Kalis said another service his workers are cognizant of is proper care of the trucks.
“We constantly wash the trucks in between runs ... so we don’t rust beds out. Some of our newer trucks even have stainless-steel beds so they don’t rust, but not all of them.”
In addition, the vehicles are sand-blasted and repainted annually.
Kalis said his workers take pride in their vehicles and the work they do which sometimes is a sacrifice for their families.
To help show their families and the public what they do, turnpike workers are hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the Canfield Maintenance Building, 6896 Tippecanoe Road.
“It’s nice to let the public see what we do,” Kalis said.
Newbacher said the most important message he wants people to bring home with them is considering plow vehicle driver’s safety.
“We [The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission] operate in 13 counties, 76 communities and we’d like the community to know we are working to ensure the safest and smoothest trip as possible. When there is ice and snow, take it slow and don’t crowd the plows.”