Southern Columbiana County road crews ready for winter weather
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It's coming… Winter weather is on its way bringing conditions can make roads hazardous for driving, but the road crews of Southern Columbiana County are prepared for it.
East Liverpool
The City of East Liverpool currently has approximately 1,500 tons or more in their garage plus another 450 tons at least of salt/stone mix.
"We had so much salt left over from last year and we took on another 1,400 tons," Dan Galeoti, deputy director said.
Municipalities have to order their road treatment a year in advance from the State of Ohio. So, an additional 1,100 is expected for the city that was ordered last year for the 2023-2024 season on top of what they already have, leaving Galeoti trying to figure out where to store all the salt.
"Yeah, we are very well prepared," Galeoti said. "We have plenty of material and there is still plenty of material coming in that I don't know where I am going to put it all."
East Liverpool road crews have been out to apply treatment to some of the area roads already this season due to some freezing on the Chester Bridge and due to water main breaks which were salted due to dropping temperatures and water remaining on the roads. Galeoti estimates maybe about one ton was used.
Galeoti said he isn't quite sure how much treatment was used during the 2022-2023 winter season. He noted the city didn't really use that much because the weather held up nicely. He estimates they maybe used about 400 tons. He said they would go out and salt in the middle of the night or early morning and by the time they were done it warmed up enough that it melted.
Galeoti isn't sure on the price but thinks it's consistent with last year because they are locked into the contract to purchase salt from the state. So the price is about the same. He also noted that purchasing a year in advance can lead to problems such as the abundance of treatment they have this year, because they are contracted to take a minimum of 90% of what they order.
The road department staffing is in shape, having the same number of staff as they did last year. There are six other employees in addition to Galeoti.
There are two trucks ready to go and another three, possibly four if needed. Galeoti said he can have three trucks ready to go within an hour's time.
Since the weather is holding up currently, he is still using the dump trucks for hauling and other work around the city. So that is why he has two ready to go and the other three ready to go within an hour. If he knows a storm is coming, they will all five be ready to go.
Galeoti does not have an exact figure on how many miles of roadway the city's road department treats. He noted that there are 93 miles of lined roadway, but the city also has many alleys and narrow streets that are not lined that get treated as well.
The city hasn't issued a parking ban during inclement weather since Galeoti has been in his current position. He feels that if a parking ban was needed for salting and plowing that would be a decsion to be made by himself, the safety director and the mayor. It would be announced on Facebook and through the police department.
Liverpool Township
According to Road Supervisor Chris Bosworth, Liverpool Township is ready to go with 500 tons of salt mix and 250 tons of salt left from last season where it used 200 tons of treatment for the whole season.
The Liverpool Township Road Department has not yet had to use any of their road treatment supply yet this season.
The township's road department has a three-man crew to take care of square 37.082 miles of roadway. The department is down one crew member from last year due to a resignation over the summer. The road department has not yet been able to fill that position.
The road department has five trucks with plows and all are ready to go.
The township, like most municipalities, purchased its road treatment a year in advance from the State of Ohio. For the 2023-2024 season the cost of treatment was $54.80 a ton --$7.06 a ton more than what it cost for the 2022-2023 season.
Liverpool Township does not issue winter weather warnings regarding moving parked cars off the streets for salting and plowing.
St. Clair Township
"St. Clair Township is always ready," according to Road Supervisor Scott Barrett.
The township has 400 tons of rock salt and 2000 tons of stone, all of which is left over from the 2022-2023 winter season when 200 tons of salt and 500 tons of stone were needed.
Barrett noted that the cost to purchase treatment for 2023 was approximately 75% lower than what it cost to purchase treatment for the 2022 season.
The St. Clair Township Road Department, like Liverpool Township, will be short one crew member this season.
Barrett noted that the township has six trucks ready to clear when needed the 144 square miles (72 center-line miles) of township roadways.
St. Clair Township's Road crew has needed to apply some treatment already this season. The road crew had to go out once to treat some of the overpasses.
St. Clair Township does not issue parking warnings for salting or plowing.
Village of Wellsville
Mayor Bob Boley said the village has 225 tons of road treatment to treat two miles of village roadways. Of the 225 tons, 25 tons is left over from last season when the village only used 120 tons.
The village is prepared to treat the roads with three trucks with plows, a spreader and a backhoe.
A parking ban warning is issued by the village administration 24 hours in advance. A parking ban means no vehicles parked on the roadways to be plowed or salted.
kgarabrandt@mojonews.com