State road crew roster down three for winter

Winter brings snowmen, snow angels and snowplows. With an average annual snowfall of 28.3 inches in Whitman County, snowplows play an important role in winter safety for those all over the county.

“We are going to run three employees less, maybe more than that this season,” said Kirk Hoffman, Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance superintendent. “That's not going to push the panic button; it just depends on the winter. We might see some delayed responses, just because we don't have as many people out there, especially as we get more into the winter.”

Crew roster will total 23 compared to 26 last year.

Hoffman said if the winter is heavy, employees will get worn out quicker and will leave them short-handed.

Hoffman said that winter weather will affect primary routes. He noted that Highway 27 will most likely be affected.

“When the snow blows out there (27) we end up closing. We fight for days and put a lot of resources on that road,” Hoffman said. “I'm not going to do that. If it starts to go I'm just going to shut it down.”

Hoffman did mention that they will do what they need to keep 27 open for emergency vehicles and local traffic.

Main snow removal resources will be used on 195, the main north-south route; 26, east-west, and 270, Pullman to Moscow.

“That's where all my resources will go if we have a winter like last year,” Hoffman said. “Then we will work from there, if we get those passable, then we will start to work on the secondary routes.”

Hoffman said those who drive into Idaho and notice road conditions there are better, it comes down to budget.

Last winter Latah County spent $5,130 per lane mile, while the state spent between $900 and $1,000 per lane mile on this side of the border.

Hoffman said that they will be moving to a 10-1 mix of sand-to-salt ratio this year during storm events to get traction on the road.

Salt loses its effectiveness to melt snow as the temperature drops. Sand is used in extreme cold when salt loses its effectiveness.

“Ten-to-one is cheaper, and then we will go to the 5-1 and maybe even straight salt after a storm breaks,” Hoffman said.

With trucks loaded with salt, it costs approximately $1,800 a truck every time it leaves to go tend the roads.

“If the temps are below 18, you need to be putting down a lot of salt, it gets pretty expensive,” Hoffman said. “We have the truck leaving three times, that's close to $6,000.”

It was suggested at the county fire chiefs meeting that motorists take on some responsibility to drive safely when there is a little snow on the road.