WASHINGTON COUNTY — The Utah Department of Transportation is preparing for the winter storms that will be passing through St. George and the surrounding areas over the next few days, readying plow drivers and resources to keep the roads clear.
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Videocast by Melissa Anderson, KCSG, St. George News
Read more about important winter driving tips here: Police Department offers winter weather driving tips
A combination of Redmond salt and brine solution will be used to keep the snow from packing down on the roads, Todd Abbott, maintenance operations supervisor for UDOT’s Region 4 facility, said.
The UDOT facility, which is located in Hurricane, has eight trucks that will be used to plow snow and apply melting solutions to roadways. The solution is applied at the first sign of sticking snow in an attempt to melt it and prevent packing and subsequent slippery roads.
Snowplows will be sent out as needed to keep roadways clear and safe for travel, and drivers will work in shifts to prevent fatigue.
“We will have plows on I-15 and secondary state highways, such as anything from Hurricane out to the Arizona state line and from St. George to Diamond Valley,” Abbott said.
The plow trucks can measure more than 12 feet wide when side blades are out, so Abbott asks drivers to be cautious while the trucks are out on the roads.
“If you’re coming up on a snow plow, … as snow plow operators, what we recommend is stay behind us at least 500 feet,” Abbott said. “Do not try to pass a snowplow either on the left or on the right. We are there trying to make the roads safer for the traveling public.”
Abbott also advises drivers to be patient and take their time so they can reach their final destinations safely.
The following distance in the state of Utah is two seconds or 10 to 12 car lengths, and that changes when there’s snow on the road, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Jesse Williams said.
“When it’s snowy conditions, we ask that you back off a little bit more,” Williams said. “Allow people that extra bit of space to maneuver your vehicle, if need be — if they lose control of their car or, heaven forbid, you lose control of your car.”
Resources
- For current road conditions, visit UDOT’s website.
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- Stocking your vehicle for winter; what to do in case of emergency, checklist
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Snow plow etiquette rules should always be in effect. Just picture the cars around you as snow plows..then maybe there won’t be so many accidents