West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) garages across the state have been busy preparing for Snow Removal and Ice Control (SRIC) operations as the cold weather months are ahead.
Crews conduct dry runs, perform equipment maintenance and testing like making sure plow attachments and salt spreaders are working and properly adjusted, and finish training during the fall months.
Statewide, the WVDOH has a stockpile of more than 231,000 tons of salt, and more than 1,000 snowplows to cover all 55 counties. A typical snowplow holds 12 tons of salt, enough to treat about 100 lane-miles of road. That’s about a 50-mile stretch of two-lane road, or about 25 miles of four-lane.
“Our operators are assigned to continue to perform SRIC operations until all roads are addressed — on a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week basis,” said Joe Pack, P.E., WVDOH Chief Engineer of Operations.
Drivers are available to hit the roads in 12-hour shifts when snow hits.
If the WVDOH knows a storm is coming and if conditions are cold and dry, they may pre-treat roads ahead of the snow with brine to make it harder for snow to stick and make it easier for plows to scrape snow from the road surface. But if it’s wet and rainy the brine would just wash away.
“Trucks and drivers are always on standby and ready to address roadway conditions hours before the snow begins falling,” said Pack. “Drivers will stay on patrol within their assigned areas, until the storm passes and conditions improve.”
All roads maintained by the WVDOH and Parkways Authority fit into one of four priorities and are addressed as the storm conditions dictate. Priority 1 routes include Interstate, Expressway, National Highway System, and all other United States and West Virginia routes. Some Priority 1 routes also include high-traffic county routes. Priority 2 routes are all other school bus routes that are not considered Priority 1. Priority 3 routes are the remaining routes, not including park and forest routes. Priority 4 routes are park and forest routes.
Once Priority 1 routes are deemed in accessible condition, WVDOH operators move those the secondary routes in Priority 2 and 3. However, as snow returns, WVDOH operators return to the Priority 1 routes.
WVDOH reminds drivers to take it slow when there is ice and snow and to be careful near snowplows. If a motorist attempts to pass a snowplow, make sure the plow driver can see the motorist. When a plow is approaching from the opposite direction, pull over as far to the right as is safe.
For the latest updates and information on travel conditions throughout West Virginia, visit wv511.org.
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