ODOT gearing up for snow and ice season

COLUMBUS -It may not feel like winter yet, but snow and ice season is just around the corner. The average first day of measurable snow in Ohio ranges from early November in the northern portion of the state to late November for southern Ohio. To prepare, crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation are inspecting snow-fighting equipment and ensuring that materials and drivers are ready to go.

"Ohioans count on ODOT for a safe and dependable transportation network, especially in the winter months," said Governor Mike DeWine. "I am confident that our crews are ready throughout the state to take on upcoming winter weather conditions."

ODOT uses a team of nearly 3,000 drivers who often work 12-hour shifts during snow and ice events. While most are full-time employees, about 500 drivers are hired seasonally. In addition to full-time and seasonal drivers, ODOT also uses auxiliary drivers. These auxiliary drivers are full-time ODOT employees who normally do other tasks and only plow snow when needed.

This team maintains more than 43,000 lane miles of state and U.S. routes outside municipalities and all interstates in Ohio, except the Ohio Turnpike.

ODOT's goal is to have primary routes back up to speed within 2 hours and secondary routes within 4 hours of the end of a snow event. Last winter, crews hit that goal 99.3% percent of the time.

Around 250 mechanics are busy doing 150-point checks from the plow blade to the salt spinner of each on the nearly 1,700 trucks in the fleet. These checks are done now so that any repairs can be made before the snow starts flying and the trucks hit the road.

"From the mechanics in the garage to the drivers on the road, every one of our ODOT employees prioritizes safety in what they do," said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. "Our team-members and their families travel the same roads you do. We want to make sure those roads are safe for everyone to use."

In addition to trucks and personnel, ODOT is ready for this winter with more than 800,000 tons of salt on hand.

Last winter, crews drove 9.1 million miles using nearly 769,177 tons of salt and 16.4 million gallons of liquid deicers.

A total of 54 snowplows were struck last winter. When these crashes occur, it takes important snow-fighting equipment off the road, forcing other plows in the area to extend their routes. It is very important that drivers give crews plenty of room to work.