ODOT trucks now winter-ready
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) – As we continue to enjoy our favorite fall and Halloween past-times, the local ODOT office has been getting prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store for us next.
District 11 Spokesperson Lauren Borell says they’re stocked up on salt and have an entire fleet of plow trucks ready to hit the road after undergoing 150-point winter-readiness inspections.
“It’s Ohio, and it’s never too early to think about winter because as we know the weather changes at the drop of a hat. We could have an 80-degree day and then the next we could be sitting at 32-degrees, so it’s very important for us to be prepared and have these trucks ready to go.”
ODOT has a goal of clearing primary routes within two hours and secondary routes within four hours of a snow storm ending that crews met more than 98-percent of the time last year. Borell says drivers can help by slowing down and giving any snow plows they encounter plenty of space.
“We like to remind folks that our drivers have their hands full when they’re working out there. They’re watching their salt usage and spreading it on the roads. They’re watching their plows as well as watching for the traveling public, so there’s a lot going on, a lot of multi-tasking, and we need the public to be aware, to give them plenty of room to do their job safely.”
The agency has around 20 plow trucks to cover more than 580 lane miles of interstate, state, and U.S. routes in Tuscarawas County.