Wheeling Workers Getting Ready For Snowfall
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WHEELING -- The region's first significant snowfall of the winter is forecast to happen Thursday evening into Friday, which means motorists should watch out for potentially icy and slick driving conditions during those times.
The agencies in charge of keeping the roads clear and safe to drive on are gearing up for what is forecasted to be possibly an inch of snow through Thursday night.
Wheeling Public Works Director Rusty Jebbia said Tuesday that the city has 900 tons of road salt in its storage building to start the winter season.
"We have more available to us that has yet to be delivered," he added.
The city begins preparing its equipment for wintry weather once the temperatures dip into the 40s.
"We usually have a few of our district trucks ready to go around Thanksgiving. As the inclement weather progresses, we continue to convert more trucks over with the salt spreaders," Jebbia said. "Our snow plows have a quick connect feature which allows us to install them at a moment's notice."
Jebbia said it is difficult to estimate how much salt the city will use for the first snowfall.
"We will do whatever it takes to treat as many streets that we need to do," he said. "Typically, we treat the main roads first, followed by the hillsides, then move on to the secondary streets."
The city has 10 trucks equipped with salt spreaders ready for the Thursday snow event. If the weather worsens and the snow begins to pile up, the plows will be attached, he said.
"It usually takes us around four hours to make it to each of the five districts through the city. If it's not a priority, the residents should wait until we have a chance to treat their area before going out," Jebbia said.
He reminded that while clearing their sidewalks and driveways, property owners should not push their snow into the streets.
"It becomes a hazard for others and delays us from getting to other areas," Jebbia said.
Meanwhile, state roads in West Virginia, such as W.Va. 2, are cleared by state Department of Transportation workers. The state has about 35,000 miles of roads to maintain, and spends $55 million a year on its ice and snow removal program, according to the agency's website.
The state uses road salt mixed with cinders and sand to melt snow and ice on roads. It works best when the temperature is at least 20 degrees.
When the temperatures are very cold it uses a liquid de-icer called calcium chloride. And in an effort to prevent ice from forming, a salt and water mixture called brine is sometimes sprayed on roadways.