PennDOT Prepared In Event Of Early Winter
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With the arrival of freezing temperatures in the Philadelphia region, can the first flakes of snow be far behind? PennDOT crews are prepared just in case it's an early winter.
PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum says there is precedent for the region to get an early snowstorm. Four years ago, just such a scenario caught many by surprise in late October 2011. Blaum says PennDOT crews know from that experience and others over the years that it's never too early to begin planning for snow.
"All the necessary preparatory work has been completed," Blaum says, "so that should we receive an early snow say in late October or early November we'd be ready to treat the roads in the Philadelphia region."
He says 35 salt stockpiles across PennDOT's Philadelphia region are full and plow blades are sitting in garages ready to go, especially after a rough last winter season.
"We used 169,051 tons of salt," Blaum says. "Our records go back 33 years and that was the second highest amount of salt used here in the Philadelphia region. The highest amount was the year before, the winter of 2013-2014 we had 172,848 tons. So we've had two, back-to-back difficult winter seasons."
Blaum says PennDOT has contracts for more deliveries on an ongoing basis throughout the winter season and managers don't foresee any shortages.
"We have 101,000 tons on the ground," he says. "We also have contracts to get another 60,000 tons of salt, if necessary, during the winter season.
Like all of us, Blaum says the crews are following the mixed, long-range forecasts already put out by the various almanacs. He says they're ready to handle whatever winter weather comes our way.
And, despite the lack of a state budget, he says there are no worries about money because state officials are committed to giving PennDOT what it needs to ensure the safety of the public on the highways during storms.
