City crews ready plows and salt for possible accumulation
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on January 6, 2017 9:57 AM
City of Goldsboro crews are preparing snow plows and salt trucks and gearing up for any possible accumulation of snow or sleet today and tomorrow.
"We're going to have 20 people on standby," said Rick Fletcher, Goldsboro public works interim director. "We have five snow plows prepared and ready to go, and we have three salt and sand spreaders prepared and ready to go.
"We're preparing for as much as 8 to 10 inches, to as little as 2 to 3 inches."
City crews will monitor the storm today to determine whether workers will need to be stationed at the public works department, where the city's street-clearing equipment is housed.
"When it starts to transition to precipitation, we'll usually have crews to come in so they're onsite with the snow plows," Fletcher said.
If snow accumulates to 3 inches, crews will start plowing roads, with the first priority on roads most likely used by police, fire and other rescue crews.
"The streets are prioritized to make sure fire and police can get out," Fletcher said.
Depending on the extent of the storm, crews could continue down other streets, with plowing and spreading salt or dirt to improve road conditions, Fletcher said.
"If we get a lot of snow, it'll be a continual process," he said. "If it continues to fall, we'll continue to make our presence known and continue to plow."
The N.C. Department of Transportation has already treated the city's main thoroughfares with brine, a salt and water mixture that sticks to roads and helps prevent ice from bonding to the pavement during the first few hours of a storm.
The DOT-maintained roads already treated include Ash Street, Spence Avenue, Royall Avenue, William Street near U.S. 70, Berkeley Boulevard, Wayne Memorial Drive and U.S. 70, Fletcher said.
Due to the possibility of dangerous road conditions, Fletcher advises residents to stay home until the storm passes and road are clear.
"Please do not come out unless you absolutely have to," Fletcher said. "It helps us get our job done a lot easier and a lot safer."
The wintry mix for Wayne County includes predictions of anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow, with rain and sleet moving into the area around 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.