Thursday, November 04, 1999
Middletown prepared for snow
BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN — While people here were still trying to keep cool, city officials were working to make sure that winter roads will be passable.
A new salt storage dome has just been completed at Breiel Boulevard and Lefferson Road. It will more than double the salt storage capacity, allowing an ample supply in the east end. That will save up to an hour round-trip trucking salt from the city garage downtown to the east end, said Art Baer, public service administrator.
And residents, many of whom complained last winter about the streets not being cleared quickly, will see eight new trucks with snow plows and salt-spreading equipment working to clean the 230 miles of streets.
“All this will give us the ability to respond to snow and ice events faster,” and get plowing and salting done more quickly, Mr. Baer said.
The city also is revising its snow-removal plan to make it more efficient, Mr. Baer said.
In about two weeks the new barn will be filled with 1,200 tons of salt. That, coupled with the 900 tons in the old storage facility down town, should handle a moderately snowy winter.
In past years, 1,200 to 1,500 tons of salt were ample, but with annexations in recent years, double that amount could be needed, Mr. Baer said.
The city plans next year to replace the old storage barn with a new one to hold 1,800 tons. Total cost of the two barns is $239,000.
“We're trying to give ourselves that cushion to absorb the really bad winters,” Mr. Baer said.
As for the new trucks, most are replacing existing old equipment, but some will be upgraded from just standard pickup or dump trucks to include snow removal and/ or salt spreading equipment. That means more help during winter storms.
“Equipment is cheaper than manpower, in the long run,” said Commission Chairman Earl Smith. who earlier this year encouraged commissioners to approve the extra equipment and salt barns.
Commissioners saw the need and in recent months unanimously approved the unbudgeted purchases, said Susan Davis, assistant city manager.
“Residents should see a positive result from this - more crews out on the street, more salt and cleaner streets more quickly,” Ms. Davis said.
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