Lake County readies for big snow
All hands were on deck Friday for an opening day of a different sort, as the Lake County Division of Transportation readied for the first snowfall of the season.
"The adrenalin is pumping. The guys are charged. They're ready to go," Larry Savage, manager of highway operations, said amid a flurry of activity at the public works yard at the county's government campus in Libertyville.
Trucks were being loaded with salt and a liquid de-icer of salt brine and beet juice for a storm that could bring up to 10 inches of snow in some locations. The county is responsible for plowing the equivalent of 435 miles of roads.
"We have 26 trucks. In an event like this, when we know it will be covering the whole county, we'll deploy the whole fleet," Savage said.
Besides the 26 plow drivers working 12-hour shifts, mechanics are on duty to provide a tow and quick repairs in the event of an equipment breakdown. Savage expects to use 400 to 500 tons of salt for this storm, which is predicted to deliver heavy, wet snow.
Plows last week made a dry run to make sure equipment was operating as expected and to check for potential hazards on the routes. And with the snow season underway, the division of transportation is providing information for motorists on its website www.lakecountyil.gov/transportation/.
The page includes a frequently asked questions section regarding plowing and a feature that allows viewers to ask drivers questions via email. A video, "Don't Crowd the Plow" also is intended to educate motorists who are urged to slow down and stay back.
Real-time local traffic information also is available at Lake County PASSAGE, www.lakecountypassage.com.