ODOT prepares for winter in Valley
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LIBERTY -- State officials say Mahoning and Trumbull County roads will be ready when winter arrives.
Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 officials were at the ODOT Trumbull County full-service maintenance facility Friday, where staff were preparing the trucks that will plow state-maintained roads in the Mahoning Valley.
This year marks the second season for the new facility since ODOT moved maintenance operations from the previous location in Cortland. The department also has a Mahoning County facility in Canfield, although the Trumbull location services vehicles for both counties.
On Friday, mechanics and technicians worked to put many of the 53 plow trucks from both counties through 150-point inspections. Those same trucks are used all summer on ODOT construction projects and the department wants to be sure every one of them is ready for winter weather.
"We want to identify any problems on these plows so we can fix them before the snow starts to fly," ODOT spokesman Ray Marsch said.
Marsch said that while ODOT has no way of knowing what winter will bring, he's confident Mahoning and Trumbull counties will have the vehicles and resources necessary to keep the roads safe.
In 2022-23, ODOT used plow trucks to drive more than 89,300 miles in Mahoning County alone, spending more than $1.3 million on snow and ice removal. The department used 8,329 tons of salt and 258,093 gallons of liquid de-icers in Mahoning County.
ODOT reports that this year it has 25,000 tons of salt available for Mahoning County, and will employ 28 full-time drivers, plus seasonal drivers as needed and three mechanics to service the 23 trucks used in the county.
In Trumbull County, last year, ODOT drove more than 125,500 miles and spent $1.7 million to put down 10,787 tons of salt and 184,027 gallons of de-icers. The department has budgeted 22,000 tons of salt for this winter and will employ 35 full-time drivers plus seasonal drivers and keep four mechanics on hand for the 30 trucks servicing Trumbull County.
Marsch said ODOT has begun using more brine in recent years, in addition to rock salt, and will continue to do so this season. He said most of the trucks are equipped with brine tanks.
"It is just as effective as rock salt and it's cheaper," he said. "So, we're able to do the job just as well and more cost-effectively."
In addition to the tanks of brine and a mountain of rock salt, ODOT also has tanks to store solutions like MeltDown Apex de-icing solution and Beet Heet chloride solution.
Marsch said the brine and rock salt are only completely effective down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit road temperature. Beyond that, solutions like Apex and Beet Heet are used in addition to ensure the roads de-ice properly.
Marsch said many trucks also are equipped with wing plows to cover the shoulder when plowing interstates and major highways.
In addition to weather preparedness, Marsch said ODOT also will continue a fun tradition this season. Many of the plow trucks at the Trumbull facility on Friday were already painted with images showing school and community pride, as part of the department's "Paint A Plow" competition.
Some of those represented included Warren JFK, Newton Falls and Bloomfield-Mesopotamia school districts.
Marsch said the department will begin posting pictures of the decorated plows on Facebook around Thanksgiving. One like equals one vote. Last year's winner was the Hubbard Exempted Village School District.
dpompili@vindy.com