ODOT is gearing up for the winter storm
ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The Ohio Department of Transportation is preparing in anticipation of the storm.
The area is expected to get three to five inches of snow by midday Wednesday. ODOT is staying ahead of the game keeping a close eye on the roads.
“We should be on top of it. Should be on top of it. But these heavy accumulation storms, you know, it’s not easy keeping up with it. You know, it’s going to be one of when it starts dying down and starts transitioning to a rain or sleet, you know, we’re going to be struggling to keep up in the beginning of it. But that’s typical for a big storm like this,” said Muskingum County Manager Phil Valentine.
Valentine said the department will be monitoring the temperature which will have an effect on the clearing process.
“Looks like the forecast little varies. It’s going to be a lot on temperatures in the morning. We’re expecting somewhere between 3 to 5. Potentially some ice and stuff in the morning. So one way or another we think that your morning commute is going to be…morning commute might be a little difficult.”
Valentine said there are 19 workers scheduled to start working tonight and through the day tomorrow. He said the crews will focus on their own parts of the city to help keep the roads clear.
“Every route has an assigned driver. We don’t, you know unless we have a major accident or something we have to shift some resources. For the most part, our drivers are assigned routes and stick with them routes. We don’t really pull or abandon a route, but every driver has usually around 30 to 40 lane miles that they take care of.”
Valentine said the crews will be using other products besides salt to help keep the roads safe.
“We’re going to be running a lot of liquids. We’re going to have our tankers up on our interstates. And that…heavy snow helps keep it cut through and keep that pavement from freezing down.”
Valentine would like for drivers to give the plow and salt trucks plenty of space as they work to clear the roads.
