“We have salt and sand and we’re going to be out there at daylight (Tuesday),” Hennette told the Greene County Daily World.
He reminded motorists that the salt-sand mixture is diluted this winter season in an effort to conserve the supply.
Hennette said normally the sand-to-salt mix is 3 to 1, but this year that’s been scaled back to concern costly salt to a 7 to 1 mix ratio. The result is a road application that is lighter on salt than usual.
Last year, Hennette said the department spread about 800 tons of salt on roads that cost an average of $110 a ton — or about $88,000. This year, the salt purchase was reduced to $30,000.
After the upcoming storm, Hennette estimated that his department will have used about 200 tons — one-fourth of what was spread last winter.
Indiana Department Transportation Vincennes District spokesperson Cher Goodwin said INDOT crews will be ready in the Linton Sub-district.
“With the prior weekend’s event, there is enough materials on the road to act as our typical ‘pre-treatment’. We anticipate having full crews out in that area around 7 p.m., however, it will be watched as the storm approaches,” Goodwin said. “Crews will work 12-hour shifts until the weather event is over and the pavement is clear and dry. We have ample (ice-melting) materials in all of our locations.”
