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Say hello to the big, yellow plow

By Gerard Hetman ghetman@theabingtonjournal.com

DUNMORE- As Sherman Snyder gets ready for a test run of his PennDOT snowplow truck, winter seems like a far-off concept. On this crisp Friday morning in November, with the sun shining and traffic moving easily, who would be thinking of a blizzard-like snowstorm?

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A PennDOT snow plow at the Dunmore salt stockpile.

Abington Journal/Gerard Hetman

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The answer can be found in a small meeting room at the Dunmore salt stockpile, where Snyder and a number of other plow operators discuss the day’s activities to prepare for the winter storm season. Outside sits a row of big yellow plows, ready to try out their equipment in preparation for the first instance of winter weather.

For Snyder and his crew, planning for the first snowfall of the season is a daily occurrence. While snow and ice may not find the Abingtons for several more weeks, storms can strike quickly and leave motorists stranded without warning. When the storms hit, everyone becomes familiar with the big yellow snow plows that act as a driver’s best friend. While few enjoy driving in winter weather, just a bit of planning ahead can help motorists avoid the worst of winter’s fury and navigate local roadways in the safest possible fashion.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, more than 200 snowplow trucks and more than 500 drivers and equipment operators stand ready to keep local roadways clear in District IV, which covers all of Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, Pike and Susquehanna Counties. That includes Snyder and the crew at the Dunmore stockpile, who are charged with keeping stretches of local highways open, including parts of Interstate 81 and Interstate 84 that pass through Lackawanna County. Each plow has an assigned route, Snyder explained, and several plows frequently get together to plow multi-lane stretches of highway when needed.

“We’re like a little family up here,” Snyder said of his fellow drivers. “We spend more time up here with these guys than we do with our families during storms. Every driver helps the rest out whenever they can to keep all the routes clear.”

The local PennDOT crews are part of more than 5,000 staff spread across Pennsylvania who will be working to keep roads clear, according to Penndot’s web site. The statewide effort also includes more than 673,000 tons of salt stored at more than 400 locations across the state.

As crews such as the one at Dunmore work to keep local highways clear of snow and ice before and during a storm, motorists can also play a valuable part in ensuring the safety and smooth passage of highway traffic in wintertime. If drivers do encounter a snowplow, Snyder urges motorists to give the plow plenty of room to operate, especially since most trucks operate a side-mounted plow that may not be visible at first glance. But if motorists are looking for up-to-date info on road conditions for any Pennsylvania roadway, they can utilize the new 511 service, by simply dialing 511 via cell phone, or by visiting www.511pa.com. Starting in November, the site will contain color-coded maps to illustrate road conditions in winter driving season, and drivers can access views of more than 400 traffic cameras on Pennsylvania roadways.

In addition to the debut of 511, PennDOT is also debuting a new winter information page on its web site, located at www. Dot.state.pa.us/winter. The new winter information page contains information and advice on preparing vehicles for winter driving, and details on PennDOT’s winter plans and preparations.

“If drivers are aware of weather conditions, and prepare ahead of time when they do need to drive in bad weather, it makes for much better conditions for everyone” Snyder said. “We want everyone to stay safe out here.”