PennDOT preps as winter storm approaches
Dec. 14—As Mother Nature serves up winter storms, PennDOT sprinkles a lot more than a dash of salt.
With the first major snowstorm of this winter approaching, state Department of Transportation crews will endeavor to keep major arteries open with more than a million gallons of salt brine and tens of thousands of tons of rock salt and anti-skid mix, not to mention dozens of plows, spreaders and loaders. They face a Thursday storm that could dump up to 8 inches of snow across the region, according to a forecast.
PennDOT Assistant District Executive for Maintenance Jonathan Eboli promised a strong response during a news conference Tuesday that's as much an annual ritual as dicey winters.
"Our crews are trained for severe weather events and prepare to maintain our roads as safe and passable," Eboli said. "That means they may not be free and clear of snow or ice during a snowstorm. So motorists should always use caution, slow down and give our plows room to work. ... If you're stuck in traffic, so are we."
The district office covers 8,500 snow-lane miles of road in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. A snow-lane mile is a mile along one lane of multiple-lane roads, usually interstate highways.
Eboli said crews will spread salt brine — a salt-water mix that they prepare — on roads before the storm to reduce icing. The spreading of salt and anti-skid — a mix of salt and small stones — during a storm usually depends on location, he said. Salt is more often used on heavily traveled roads because vehicles crush and spread it, multiplying its effect. Rural roads, with less traffic, usually get more anti-skid to provide better traction, Eboli said.
Drivers can help PennDOT crews best by staying home, said Lonell Shalkowski, the district office's acting maintenance services engineer.
"If you must travel, ... carry a winter emergency travel kit. This should include warmer clothes, gloves, a blanket, a flashlight, water, nonperishable foods and any medication you may need. Keep your gas tank at least half full, slow down and increase following distance. Avoid sudden stops and starts. Be aware of roads that may look wet but are actually frozen, often referred to as black ice. Remove ice and snow from windows, mirrors and all vehicle lights before you drive and as often as needed," Shalkowski said.
AccuWeather meteorologist Dave Dombek said the wintry weather could begin as early as late morning on Thursday and should definitely "do something" by 1 p.m. Depending on temperatures in the upper atmosphere, it may start as a mix of snow and sleet. Snowfalls could range between 3 and 8 inches with more snow north of Lackawanna County. Temperatures will likely fluctuate between 30 and 35 in the afternoon and during the night.
The snow should taper off by morning with clear weather and highs in the 30s on Friday, Dombek said.
Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter.
