It's a Busy Season for Northfield Township Road District's Plow Drivers
This cold, wet, unpredictably snowy winter has made for a demanding few months for the Northfield Township Road District's plow drivers. In fact, it's been so challenging, that as of February 20, there has been snow or rain every day except for eight.
"When you run a 24-hour operation, you have to do what it takes to clear the roads and provide the best level of safety and service for residents," said Northfield Township Highway Commissioner Tim Rueckert. The Road District's plow crew is on call, ready to work at any time of the day or night to clear over 23 miles of roads in the unincorporated areas of Glenview, Northfield, and Northbook.
Over the past several weeks, the Road District crew was out in full force addressing the plowing and salting needs of local roads. "We were literally working around the clock to keep up with demand," notes Rueckert. During an average winter, the Road District plows are out between 25 and 27 times. This season alone, the crew has already plowed and/or salted over 25 times.
When an overnight storm event happens, plow drivers arrive at the Road District at 3 am to load each truck with 5 tons of salt before beginning their work to clear the way for the morning commuters and school children. It takes about 4 hours for the drivers to complete their routes and have the roads clean in time for rush hour.
Road District plow driver Robert Hanrahan and second year De Paul law school student said writing school papers on little to no sleep has been difficult. "It hasn't been easy balancing law school and plowing the roads," said Hanrahan, and added, "The residents' safety is more important than anything. If I've had a sleepless night because I'm out clearing the roads, I'm ok with that."
With so much weather activity this winter, the Road District's recent move to a new location in Northbrook couldn't have come at a better time. The new facility's garage neatly houses all 9 trucks and offers five times the square footage as its old facility in Glenview. The new space also accommodates a 50' x 30' salt area that holds over 125 tons of salt.
For more information about the Northfield Township Road District visit online at http://www.northfieldtownship.com/road-district.html or call 847-724-7055.
About the Northfield Township Road District
Located in northern Cook County, Northfield Township represents nearly 78,000 people. Under Highway Commissioner Tim Rueckert's leadership, the Road District provides efficient and economical services for residents in the unincorporated areas of Glenview, Northbrook, and Northfield. Working together in a cooperative and professional manner with neighbors, Cook County, the State of Illinois, and the surrounding villages, problems are identified, and practical, cost-effective solutions are developed utilizing the resources at hand. The Road District is located is 237 Melvin Drive, Northbrook. For more information visit Northfield Township Road District at http://www.northfieldtownship.com/road-district.html or call 847-724-7055.