Date:
Monday, November 27, 2006
Contact:
Sylvia Ross, WSDOT Communications, 360-852-2537 (Vancouver)
Alissa Bateman, WSDOT Communications, 360-905-2078 (Vancouver)
VANCOUVER – As winter weather approaches and forecasts call for snow in parts of Southwest Washington, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews across the Southwest Region are preparing for whatever nature plans to deliver.
Crews across the Southwest Region have began their winter schedules, and spent the last month stocking up on solid and liquid chemical anti-icers and de-icers, gearing up and testing all snow and ice removal equipment. Maintenance crews in some areas, including parts of Lewis County and the Columbia River Gorge, will be working around the clock, seven days a week throughout the rest of the season. In other more low-lying areas, crews have been put on-call and are ready to work around the clock if needed.
Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, check their routes, and carry chains as a precaution if they don’t have four-wheel drive. The most up to date information about weather, travel alerts, highway closures or mountain pass conditions can be obtained on WSDOT’s Traveler Information Web page (www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/), or by dialing 5-1-1 from any phone.
The main anti-icing and de-icing chemicals used in Southwest Washington are solid and liquid forms of Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride. The liquid is applied in advance of a storm to prevent ice from forming or snow from sticking, and after a storm to melt existing snow and ice. The solid is used to melt hard packed snow and ice after a storm. In addition, WSDOT is testing the use of liquid salt brine mixed with a corrosion inhibitor on highways in Lewis County. Region wide, WSDOT has reduced the use of abrasives (sand, gravel) significantly in favor of solid and liquid anti-icer and de-icer chemicals. Abrasives can be much more expensive to use than chemicals because of the need to continually reapply, as well as the extensive cleanup required.
WSDOT’s Southwest Region operates 78 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, liquid and solid chemical applicators, etc.); and has a total of 240,700 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer and 5,341 tons of solid de-icer stored at multiple locations across the region.
Southwest Region Snow and Ice Equipment and Material Breakdown by Location
Clark County
Vancouver
• 7 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 10,500 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 125 tons of solid de-icer
Washougal
• 2 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 10,500 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 50 tons of solid de-icer
Fargher Lake
• 2 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 3,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 8 tons of solid de-icer
Cowlitz County
Woodland
• 2 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 12,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 8 tons of solid de-icer
Kelso/Mount St. Helens
• 8 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 21,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 600 tons of solid de-icer
Lewis County
Chehalis
• 7 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 50,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 300 tons of solid de-icer
Toledo
• 3 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 10,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
Morton
• 9 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 20,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 300 tons of solid de-icer
White Pass
• 6 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 30,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 3,000 tons of solid de-icer
Pacific & Wahkiakum Counties
Raymond
• 8 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 25,500 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 200 tons of solid de-icer
Naselle
• 7 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 10,500 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 200 tons of solid de-icer
Cathlamet
• 4 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 5,200 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
Skamania & Klickitat Counties
Goldendale
• 7 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 15,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 350 tons of solid de-icer
Bingen
• 6 trucks with snow and ice removal capabilities (plows, chemical applicators, etc.)
• 17,500 gallons of liquid anti-icer/de-icer
• 200 tons of solid de-icer
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Photos of WSDOT’s snow and ice removal equipment being prepped and used; and ride-alongs with snow plow or anti-icer/de-icer truck drivers are available by request (see contact information at top of page).
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