Town Using Saltwater to Prevent Snow Buildup
Substance is put on town roads a few days before snow is forecast to
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The township is utilizing saltwater to prevent the build up of snow on roads.
Department of Works (DPW) personnel have coated roads with a special brine mixture, which is basically saltwater, to prevent snow from accumulating. The township started using the mixture last year.
“The intent is to create a barrier so that it’s less likely snow will get packed on,” said Geroge Holzapfel, DPW director.
Between two and four inches of snow is forecast to fall on North Jersey Thursday into Friday. A winter weather advisory is in effect.
The mixture is loaded into eight dump trucks and slowly dripped onto roadways two days before it is scheduled to snow.
“We believe that by doing it we’re going to reduce our overall salt consumption we won’t have hard, packed snow that we’d have to break up later on,” Holzapfel said. “We believe we’re going to be utilizing less salt in the long run.”
For the latest information regarding snow conditions in town call the DPW’s snow emergency hotline at: 973-694-6909 and press “7”.
— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Nose Wayne
10:25 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013
Great job Wayne Township. Put it down a couple days before so we can all track it all over the place so when it does snow it might actually work ? How about just before a snow storm so it might do what it is intended to do and melt snow instead of making our tires white? If 'Mr. Collins" knew what he was doing instead of doing "all" his other" titled work", he might listen and do it when it needs it ? Oh, and nice new pick up with a plow, never seen you actually plow the streets with it.
Flood Plain
12:05 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
Is there any authoritative research that supports the process and concept, or is it just "...let's try this brine mix a few days prior to a storm?"
Nose Wayne
12:19 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
They put it down around town a couple days ago and if it snowed today it would be "several thousands of dollars" down the drain because all the cars driving on it have it on their tires, not on the road where it should be. ATTABOY Mr. Collins.
JustMe1226
7:31 am on Friday, March 8, 2013
The story has the SNOW EMERGENCY number wrong. It's 973-694-6909, then press 7 , NOT 6.
JustMe1226
12:02 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
Thank you for correcting the phone extension Mr. Hubbard.