Washington County road crew prepared for winter season

Road crews with the Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation (LUT) are ready for the upcoming a winter season.

Though wintery weather is not in the immediate forecast, LUT road crews train or refamiliarize themselves with winter weather operations every fall. Crews practice preparing plows and sanders and practice driving our snow plow and ice control routes.

“Our crews and equipment are ready for the coming winter storm season and we are prepared to serve our community with round-the-clock coverage once the snow starts falling,” said Road Operations and Maintenance Division Manager Todd Watkins.

LUT’s plowing and sanding capacity will also increase this winter, with the acquisition of three new trucks that will be outfitted with sanding and plowing attachments. The medium-duty trucks have interchangeable rear attachments that will house sanding equipment in the winter and serve other purposes during the summer construction season.

The trucks will join a winter weather fleet of pickup and dump trucks with plowing and sanding attachments, as well as gravel road graders that remove snow on high-elevation gravel roads.

If Washington County gets hit by severe winter weather this year, crews will work 24/7 with 12-hour shifts. Crews focus on clearing priority snow plow and ice control routes, which connect important buildings, emergency services and major corridors.

Snow Zone activations possible during winter weather

Washington County may also activate any of its four Snow Zones during an ice or snow event. When activated, traction control devices like chains, studs or winter tires are required in these areas that are prone to winter weather-related crashes:

• 175th Avenue, between Scholls Ferry and Rigert roads
• Barnes Road, 118th Avenue east to the County line
• Cornell Road, Cedar Hills Boulevard east to the County line
• Grabhorn Road, between Farmington and Tile Flat roads

When traction devices are required, flashing signs will be activated. Travelers who ignore the requirements could receive citations from law enforcement.