Snow Removal Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Renewed Focus On Highway Safety After Snow Plow Driver Injuries

The West Virginia Division of Highways is reminding drivers to be careful after two plow drivers were injured in separate accidents Monday morning.

Just before 5 a.m. Monday in Taylor County, a plow rolled over while a driver was spot treating the road. In Wood County, two vehicles slid into a WVDOH plow truck on I-77.

Both drivers were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries.

The incidents come amidst an increase in motor vehicle crash deaths across the country, and the Department of Transportation reminds the public of the importance of keeping everyone safe in work zones by keeping “Heads up; Phones down!”

Specific to the winter season, they advise drivers to:

Slow down when following a snowplow.
Don’t follow too closely. If you can’t see the snowplow’s mirrors, the driver can’t see you.
If a snowplow is spreading material, keep well back. Bouncing salt or other ice control material can damage your vehicle.
If you have to pass a snowplow, make sure the driver can see you. If a plow is approaching from the other direction, move as far to the right as is safe.
In snow and ice, stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. If you have to drive, leave early, drive slowly, and keep your headlights on at all times.

Snow Removal Hampered in Beckley by Equipment Issues

Equipment problems are hampering Beckley’s efforts to dig out from more than 2 feet of snow.

Mayor Bill O’Brien tells The Register-Herald that crews are working around the clock to clear the city’s 535 streets. But five of the city’s 11 snow plows are broken down.

O’Brien says the plows are good for normal snow but the recent heavy, wet snow has strained them.

He also says many Board of Public Works employees haven’t been able to get to work, including a mechanic.

Beckley resident Allen Mahaffey tells the newspaper that he didn’t see a snow plow on his street for five days last week.

Shutdowns, Shoveling, and Sleighriding: A W.Va. Winter Story

Several public school systems across the state remained closed Friday. It was the same story at several universities and colleges. Some West Virginians are still digging out of a deep snow that fell over Wednesday and Thursday.

Preliminary totals from the National Weather Service include more than a foot in the Eastern Panhandle and Southern West Virginia. American Electric Power’s website showed minor outages during the storm. Governor Tomblin urged residents to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Still, the deep snow created slick conditions treacherous for driving and a workout to shovel but perfect for sleigh riding.

Students at Concord University enjoyed a day off as did Mercer County public schools, so residents quickly flocked to campus to enjoy a Concord tradition. Listen to the audio file above to hear West Virginians shovels, plow and even slide through the snow day.

Jessica Lilly can be reached at 304.384.5981, or by email jlilly@wvpublic.org. You can also follow her on twitter: @WVJessicaYLilly.

For updates from West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s statewide news team, follow @wvpubnews.

Subzero Temps Make For Slow Snow Removal

It looks like winter won’t let up this month and that’s making snow removal more difficult than usual. A dangerous and frustrating combination of factors is leaving many to brave perilous road conditions.

Department of Highways District Manager Greg Phillips says the worst combination of factors is making traveling anywhere a dangerous ordeal. His district includes Monongalia County which, for example, has 1,000 miles of roads that need to be cleared.

“We do plow both sides of the road so that’s 2,000 road miles that we have to cover, and that’s like plowing from Morgantown to the tip of the Keys in Florida.” Phillips says. “It takes a long time to do that. So it’s going to take us two or three days to get all the snow cleaned up.”

Phillips explains that the subzero temperatures stop the salt mix on the road from being effective so the plows can only work to try to get the snow off the roads.

“When it gets that cold and the mix doesn’t work and then it continues to snow, so you’re just plowing your mix off as you put it down. In some instances that’s why the roads don’t come as clear.”

Phillips says recent snowstorms at 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning as well as traffic also contributes to slow snow removal. In Morgantown especially, with its university influx population of people who may not be used to the conditions, heavy traffic, and accidents makes snow removal even more difficult.

Phillips says recent school closings have had more to do with being especially protective of students who need to wait outside for busses in dangerously low temperatures.

“An individual can freeze to death in just a short period of time when it’s 12 and 15 degrees below zero—and that’s what we’ve had with the wind chill. We just can’t allow the students to have to be out there with some parents have to go to work and students have to walk down to catch a bus. That’s a call the superintendents of each county have to make.”

Phillips says it’s especially dangerous for kids waiting on the side of the roads for busses when there is snow on the roads.