State ready for winter weather

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MAYBROOK – Halloween had temperatures reach near 70 degrees, but storms and a passing front pushed the mercury into the low 40s Friday. November 1 is the beginning of the snow and ice season for the New York State Department of Transportation, and it runs through April 15.

“We prepare for the worst weather and hope for the best outcome,” said Ken Keutmann, an assistant resident engineer for DOT.

Keutmann was at a DOT depot off Interstate 84 Friday, and he said DOT starts to get ready for the upcoming winter in September and October.

The plow truck drivers work in treacherous winter weather in daylight and in the dark, but the biggest hazard, other than the weather, are other motorists on the road.

“They need to give us the room to operate safely,” said Keutmann. “We are here to help them where they need to be.”

The DOT begins assessing its equipment in September and the following month, crews begin to get ready for the snow and ice season.

Keutmann said enough sand and salt is ordered for the coming winter based what was used during the last three to five years. Dump trucks and tractors lined the depot’s back lot, and one piece new to the fleet of equipment is known as a tow plow, which allows drivers to plow two lanes of highway with a plow, attached to a trailer behind a truck.

“Our tow-plow is probably one of the biggest upgrades we have,” said Keutmann. “It allows us to plow two lanes at the same time, which will free up one of our other trucks to take on other areas.”




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