ODOT prepares to respond to winter weather | News, sports, jobs

PREPARATION – Plow trucks were parked at the Ohio Department of Transportation garage in Jefferson County on County Road 43 and were inspected by ODOT mechanics Thursday. –Christopher Dacanay

WINTERSVILLE – The Ohio Department of Transportation is checking equipment and filling salt bins to ensure drivers are ready to respond when winter weather arrives.

Across the state, ODOT technicians are conducting 150-point checks on the department’s plow trucks to ensure repairs are completed well before snow and ice begin to threaten the state’s highway system.

ODOT is responsible for the maintenance of state, U.S. and interstate routes. Department employees plow all interstate routes, including those through municipalities. However, ODOT does not plow or treat state or federal highways within municipalities, local routes, or private driveways.

The department’s District 11 includes Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Holmes, Tuscarawas and Jefferson counties. All activities in Jefferson County are dispatched from the ODOT garage, located on County Road 43.

Lauren Borrell, public information officer for ODOT District 11, watched Thursday as technicians conducted their pre-winter inspections. Borell noted ODOT’s efforts to get ready for winter in Jefferson County and elsewhere: “Ahead of the season we are in good shape.”

“This is our signature service: snow and ice,” Borrell said. “Our drivers are proud of what they do. Many of them plow and treat the roads traveled by their family, friends and neighbors, so they want to do their best to ensure the roads are safe for them.”

During the 2023-2024 snow and ice season, more than 120 drivers logged a total of 3,378 treated lane miles across the seven eastern Ohio counties. District 11 crews rode 384,632 miles that season, using 26,796 tons of salt and 444,104 gallons of liquid deicers, or brine.

That winter, 16 trucks covered 292 miles of Jefferson County, including 139 bridges. The province has 12 snow routes, with a distance of 37 miles per route. A total of 63,445 miles were driven and 5,178 tons of salt were used in Jefferson County during the winter of 2023-2024, along with 47,770 gallons of brine.

Borrell said Jefferson County is “stay stable” this year with the same number of trucks and drivers. Jefferson County has 20 full-time drivers, in addition to seasonal employees with a commercial driver’s license, whom ODOT brings in for support during the winter months. ODOT also uses auxiliary drivers, or employees with a CDL who normally perform other duties but shift when necessary.

The department provides 24/7 service, with two 12-hour shifts per day, Borrell said, adding that drivers can work up to 16 hours depending on the severity of the storm.

The goal, Borrell said, is to make primary routes passable within two hours of the end of a particularly strong storm, while secondary routes are cleared within four hours. ODOT crews met that goal 98.3 percent of the time last winter.

In a press release, Governor Mike DeWine stated: “Ohio’s transportation is critical to keeping our state moving, especially during unpredictable winter storms. Safe and accessible roads ensure that businesses can continue to operate emergency services, reach people in need and residents can travel to work and school without disruption.”

Jefferson County now has a full salt inventory of 9,900 tons – about 14 percent of District 11’s total salt capacity of 70,500 tons. ODOT workers used only 5,178 tons of the 9,900 tons of salt they started with in the 2023-2024 winter season. That’s likely due to the string of mild winters in recent years, Borrell said.

As for Jefferson County trucks, mechanics examine every piece of equipment “Just to make sure it’s in good condition when the snow flies by.” Borrell said. That’s everything from lights and windshield wipers to salt spinners and plow blades. There are approximately 20 technicians who perform inspections on District 11’s total of 118 trucks.

ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn stated in a release: “These safety checks are important to ensure crews are properly trained, equipment is ready for road use and de-icing materials are in stock. ODOT plow drivers take great pride and responsibility in keeping the roads safe and communities connected during the winter months. Motorists can also help by driving according to the conditions and allowing crews to do their work.”

Borrell echoed that last comment, noting that drivers “have their hands full” between watching the road, monitoring material production and pavement temperatures, and making adjustments to ensure their work is effective. Drivers would therefore benefit if motorists give them enough space to work.

“(Drivers) are there to do their job, to keep the roads safe, and we need people to look after them and give them enough space to work.”

Borrell said divers should maintain a safe distance from plow trucks, which take time to slow down and stop. With a possible slip factor on the road, motorists must be careful not to cause a collision.

A total of 22 plow trucks were affected statewide in the winter of 2023-2024. That is less than the number of 26 last winter. ODOT warns that collisions with plow trucks are slowing snow control efforts because they need other trucks to cover their routes.

At the Jefferson County ODOT garage Thursday, Sgt. Jeff Bernard of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, who said people should be aware of when freezing temperatures will start. Ice on roads can cause dangerous conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses, which freeze more quickly.

“Be prepared, take (the conditions) into account,” said Bernard.

ODOT communicates year-round with the OSHP – a close partner, especially when it comes to safety issues, Borrell said. Especially during the winter months, OSHP will often notify ODOT of conditions its officers encounter on the roadway that need to be addressed.

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