AKRON, Ohio — 3News has been checking in with plowing agencies and businesses all across Northeast Ohio as they prep for the huge snowfall we'll be getting starting Thursday night, and forecasted to carry on into Saturday.
The Ohio Department of Transportation explained that by midnight, their crews will be out in their fullest force, with 300 plow trucks working across 17 counties. With this expected to be the biggest snowfall so far this season, it will be challenging.
"I think the big thing is we look at the temperature, and right now we're in the 20s, which is good," ODOT District 4 Spokesman Justin Chesnic said. "Salt brine is effective, but as we get into the evening hours and we get into Friday, that temperature starts to drop, and once we hit below 20, salt becomes less effective. So we'll just be using some different materials — maybe some calcium chloride, maybe some beet heat, different things like that to use on the roadways. It just takes a little bit longer to clear those roadways when those temperatures get so cold."
Chesnic further explained that adding the calcium chloride and beet molasses with the salt more effectively melts snow and ice than just salt alone. ODOT Northeast Ohio spokeswoman Amanda McFarland also made a plea with the public to please be careful when driving around their plow trucks, reporting that their vehicles have been hit by eight drivers statewide since the start of the season.
"Our trucks weigh thousands of pounds" McFarland noted. "They’re carrying thousands of pounds. If you find yourself in a competition with them, you're probably not going to win. Your car is going to sustain the most damage. Our plows are then going to end up getting off the road for some time getting repairs and getting fixed. So when you see our plows, please give them plenty of room to work."
The city of Akron told WKYC they wanted to be so proactive against Thursday night's snow that they started pretreating the roads Wednesday morning. Public Works Manager Jim Hall says they have 52 trucks out working 52 different routes in the community, and they are expected to be out until Sunday doing final cleanups for all the snow that falls.
"Anytime that there's winter conditions out there, snow you can see on the pavement, but ice you can't," Hall cautioned. "So you almost want to be driving around anticipating ice. Therefore, you slow down, take it more carefully, leave more space between vehicles and anticipate other vehicles making crazy moves."
Private plow companies will also be very busy salting roads and plowing snow. Reliable Snow Plowing Specialists in Macedonia handles properties like medical buildings, manufacturing plants, and retail all across the region, and they have a crew of 850 prepping.
"We are excited," N.J. Detrick, one of the company's leaders, said. "It's the first really big snowfall of the season. It's been a late winter, late start, but you know what? When it comes in, it comes in heavy. So it's kind of like the Super Bowl for us. We're expecting a very long storm; it's not going to all fall at one time, so we're just going to have to brace for some long hours and just make it happen."
ODOT recommends going to their website ohgo.com for real time road condition updates. They also have an app you can download.