Mass. DOT prepares for next Winter Blast
By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com
FOXBORO – Massachusetts DOT is preparing for the next winter blast.
Crews are pre-treating roads Sunday night with de-icing agents. “[We are] doing our best to get everybody to where they need to go in the morning commute and work all day to make sure the afternoon commute is manageable,” explained Chief Operating Officer Frank DePaola.
More than 290,000 tons of salt are available in storage, according to DePaola. More than 70,000 tons were used during last week’s blizzard. “We’re in good shape,” said DePaola. “We try to keep about a half a year’s average in storage. Big storms like we had a few days ago will eat into that.”
Some local drivers are feeling wary. Richard Weir of Norton told ABC6 News that it is hard enough driving as it is with snow mounds on side roads creating blind spots. “The piles are so high you couldn’t even see where you could go half the time,” he said.
On state highways, snow mounds are as much of an issue. “We have the opportunity of pushing snow off to our shoulders and at the land at our exit and on-ramps,” explained DePaola. “But most municipalities have to load it into trucks and truck it away.”
Last week’s storm cost Massachusetts $21 million, but this storm is not expected to be as costly, according to DePaola.
© WLNE-TV 2014
