XENIA — Along with her crew, Greene County Engineer Stephanie Ann Goff was ready to tackle the snowstorm that hit the area.
The storm arrived in two significantly different waves. The first arrived early Monday, and the second began to blow through mid to late Monday afternoon. That timing and the mid-day lull did not affect preparations.
“Normally during storms, we run two shifts,” Goff said. “More salt and beet heet are being delivered.”
Goff mentioned that during storms, the hours of her crew members are adjusted to the storms. In general, 12-hour shifts are utilized. Since 4:30 a.m. Monday crews have been working the roads. That process started with the first round of snow.
At times, weather forecasts have called for snow amounts of one inch or more of snow per hour. That heavy amount of snow changes the times that Goff’s crews are on the road.
“Normally, routes take one to two hours to complete with regular snow events. During major storms, four to five hours could be needed to complete routes,” Goff said.
With weather forecasts calling for snow totals of possibly 6-10 inches or more, high hourly amounts of snow, and high winds presenting drifting issues, Goff’s crew members may not be able to keep up or make great progress during the snowstorm’s heaviest times.
But they’ll do whatever is necessary.
“My guys work around the clock when they need to,” Goff said.
She added that winds present a significant challenge, especially in rural areas where there are few structures to catch the wind. Because of that, drifting snow, low temperatures, and wind chills all become huge problems.
When the snow finally comes to an end sometime today, Goff’s crew members will be able to clear more snow away.
Goff reminded drivers in Greene County to avoid being on the roads if possible and avoid parking cars in a right-of-way.
Vehicles should be kept farthest away from the road as possible. If possible, vehicles should be parked in a driveway or in a garage. Trash cans should not be positioned in any streets. Like vehicles, trash cans should not be located anywhere near pavement areas.
