Cold Temperatures a Problem for Snow Removal

Muskingum Co-  We’re expecting to see an end to the snowfall Monday evening. For the Ohio Department of Transportation, crews continue the work of snow removal.

ODOT crews have been keeping an eye of the winter storm since last week and actually began treating and snow removal with Friday’s winter weather. ODOT said that this storm was problematic for two reasons, the amount of snow that fell and the cold temperatures.

“Those colder temperatures make it hard for the salt to actually work,” explained ODOT Public Information Officer Morgan Eibel.  “We have to use things like brine and beet juice to also assist and it also doesn’t help when we see an inch of snow per hour.”

They’re working in twelve hour shifts until all the roadways are clear. Eibel said that the focus for removal starts on primary routes like Interstate 70 and then moves to secondary roadways. The goal is to get priority routes back up and running to full speed within two hours of a snow and ice event ending.

“The routes that see more traffic actually helps out a lot more because you are going to see pavement on those roadways when number one we are treating them and number two there’s more traffic on them,” explained Eibel.

Already 12 plows have been struck by vehicles this winter, three on Sunday in Southern Ohio. ODOT said to make sure to give plows plenty of room, don’t tailgate and give yourself time to navigate the roadways.