Technology, Experience Help Ease Snow Removal

By Sandy Quadros Bowles

Editor

When snow falls, DPW trucks hit the road, pretreating and plowing to ensure Natick residents experience safe travels.

But planning for a snow event starts before the first flake swirls.

Months before, in fact, said William Spratt, executive director of the Department of Public Works and Facilities.

While residents are sunning themselves at the beach or by the pool, DPW workers are checking out trucks to ensure they are ready for a storm six months away. “We’re planning way before,’’ he said.

When the winter does arrive, Spratt and his team keep a careful eye to the forecast.

Updated weather forecasts help with snow removal planning. Courtesy photo

Natick has its own meteorology service that pinpoints Natick specific weather.  Computerized weather forecasts provide updated information. As weather watchers know, the closer the storm, the more accurate the forecast.

With a potential storm on the horizon, workers make sure plows are on the trucks and the salt shed is full.

When the storm is close, crews pretreat the roads for a few hours, Spratt said. But deciding when and how to take this step relies on further weather information.

Trucks are equipped with infrared thermometers to measure the road temperatures.

“Road temperatures matter when we’re plowing,’’ Spratt said. A few degrees can make a big difference and air temperatures do not always coincide with road conditions.

If the weather has been cold for a while, even though the air temperature may be 38 degrees, for example, the roads can be 29 or 30 degrees, meaning any moisture will freeze and pretreating needs to begin as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if the sun has been shining all day, the road temperatures may be higher than the air conditions. In that case, “we can delay salt’’ application, Spratt said.

Of course, as every New Englander knows, forecasts can be wrong  “I’ve pretreated and not seen one flake,’’ he said.

Technology helps with salting efficiently by measuring the speed of the salt truck to ensure that salt is applied consistently.

“Everybody loves the technology, it makes it easier’’ said Brian Caisse, highway sanitation supervisor.

Once the snow flies, “a game time decision’’ is made on when to transition from salting to plowing, Spratt said. After about 1½ to 2 inches fall, “we’re losing the salt battle’’ and plowing generally begins, he said.

GPS technology also helps keep track of where trucks are at any time, which Caisse said allows supervisors to know where every vehicle is located at any given moment. 

The department tends to keep sanding to a minimum. “Sand doesn’t melt snow,’’ Spratt said, but only provides traction. 

In an ice storm, sand can be helpful, he said, but otherwise sand can block catch basins and have negative impacts on the roads in spring, he said.

The only time I sand is if there’s black ice,’’ Caisse said.

Keeping the roads safe is a task done by dedicated professionals, Spratt said, but residents can play a role.

Waiting for the plows to complete their work can minimize one of the great frustrations of a storm: Having snow plowed right back into a newly cleaned driveway.

Trucks don’t do this intentionally, but the plow tilts to move snow to the side, Spratt said. The snow often lands on banks on the side of the road, but, to the homeowners’ consternation, the white stuff can also land in driveways.

Caisse advises keeping two or three feet at the bottom of the driveway unshoveled until the plows complete their work.

And do shovel sidewalks, Spratt urged. That keeps walk areas clear and avoids the risk of people walking in the road and being injured.

“It certainly would be helpful if more people would shovel their sidewalks,” Spratt said.

Spratt also urges another approach, one that can be challenging in our busy lives. 

“Be patient,’’ he said,

The roads will be cleared in time.

And of course spring will eventually arrive.

GPS in plows helps the effort go more efficiently. Courtesy photo