Crews work to clear the streets during first snowfall

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@cleshnerabc6

Keeping the roads clear and safe is a big under taking RIDOT got an early start Saturday morning sending out hundreds of trucks to plow and treat the roads.

It’s arguably one of the most important jobs during a snow storm.

"We try to treat the roads the best we can," says John Almeida with Kay-Cor Construction, the contractor helping RIDOT fill snow plows up with salt.

RIDOT has 145 state vehicles and uses more than 300 private vendors to clear the streets. About 40 of them go to the substation in Lincoln to fill up when needed.

A necessary job, but not always an easy one.

"When the snow adds up the salt doesn’t treat it so we try to push the heavier snow out of the way and treat behind us," says Almeida.

Even with all the plows, the road conditions were tough at times.

"Slippery and scary. I saw a few on the way out here, 2 people collided, somebody hit a tree," says Mary Colby of Worcester.

Going outside during the first snow fall of the season though, irresistible for some.

"It’s almost Christmas and I’ve been waiting for snow for so long, for a year," says 9 year old Alana Riendeau of Cumberland.

Keeping people like Alana and her mom safe on the roads is an all hands on deck, all day job.

"When it’s done, it’s done. Sometimes it’s a 24 hour period. We’ll probably be here all night tonight and into the morning because you don’t know if the temperature drops the snow is going to freeze everything is going to melt and freeze up again so you have to treat it again," says Almeida.

And since they do plan to have these plows out on the streets, they do ask that any drivers on the roads leave enough room.

(C) WLNE/ABC 6