City Snow Removal
Elkins prepared with salt supply
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley The City of Elkins Street Department took advantage of the warm weather Tuesday morning to clear snow and ice from drain grates in downtown Elkins. Steve Stone, above left, removes winter debris from a grate on Davis Avenue as Chris Carr, above right, gives him a thumbs-up.
Steve Stone, above, maneuvers heavy equipment on Second Street in Elkins, as a utility vehicle also removes snow farther down the street.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley The City of Elkins Street Department took advantage of the warm weather Tuesday morning to clear snow and ice from drain grates in downtown Elkins. Steve Stone, above left, removes winter debris from a grate on Davis Avenue as Chris Carr, above right, gives him a thumbs-up.
Steve Stone, above, maneuvers heavy equipment on Second Street in Elkins, as a utility vehicle also removes snow farther down the street.
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ELKINS -- Elkins city officials say there is no threat that the Street Department will run out of road salt this winter.
Assistant Street Department Supervisor Jim Yorkey told The Inter-Mountain that the city acquired close to eight tons of road salt last week, enough to last for an extended period of time.
"To be honest, we probably have enough to get us through," Yorkey said. "If we had 20 days in a row of us having to salt the roads everyday, we would be running a little tight. But the load we got last week really helped carry us for another month or so."
Even with its rock salt supply in a good place, Yorkey said the city is looking to add more just in case the wintry weather conditions continue.
"We've been trying to get some more from J.F. Allen, but they are behind a little," Yorkey said. "They have some trucks coming in and we have been talking about getting some more once they get some in. They said they were probably going to be getting some more salt this week."
Yorkey said he doesn't expect the city to have to use very much salt over the next week as temperatures are predicted to rise again over the weekend.
"The weather is starting to get better, so we probably won't use much salt this week to be honest," Yorkey said. "The temperature is supposed to be going up, so that helps a lot."
Yorkey said the Street Department has been mixing the salt with another substance to apply to the roads, to help motorists who have to venture out and drive on slippery roads.
"We started mixing a little bit of cinders in with the salt we've been putting down," Yorkey said. "So, if the salt didn't work the cinders would work for traction, because with our salt, when it gets 14 degrees or below, it doesn't work unless the sun is out."
Yokey added that the Street Department has been working hard over the past several weeks, and that warmer weather would be a welcome sight to the city employees who have been battling snow and ice.
"I know that we've been plowing quite a bit, salting, and doing a lot of other things during this recent stretch of weather," Yorkey said. "The guys are getting a little fatigued from having to be out there all the time and not getting a lot of rest."