November 9, 2009
VDOT officials say they've inspected and tested all their equipment. They say they've now moved into the second phase of their winter preparations, installing salt brine containers and mixers and additional tanks on their trucks to spray the solution. It's an effort to get ahead of the storm.
"It's a new process. It's a little newer than the old school where we used to allow the accumulation to get on the road up to about an inch or two," said VDOT maintenance engineer Milton Thacker.
The salt brine is a product VDOT just started using last year. It's put on the roads before the storms hit so snow and ice won't bond to the roads.
"This is designed to buy us time and keep that bond from happening. All this is designed to help us get the road cleaner, sooner, and help reduce cost," said Thacker.
Thacker says using these new techniques brings a certain peace of mind to employees.
"It gives us a certain amount of confidence when we pre-treat it. That we understand, and have looked at forecasts, and anticipated a weather event, and prepared for it to make the roadways as safe as possible," said Thacker.
He says it also gives a peace of mind to drivers around the area.
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