He’s heard the familiar refrain of WTOP Traffic reporters and public works departments suggesting drivers stay off roads during snow and ice storms — a local plow operator is asking very nicely.
“Please. If you have nothing to do outside, because the weather is bad, stay home. Stay home,” says Santos Turcios, an equipment operator with the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation, during the agency’s yearly snow and ice dry run exercise, Friday morning.
“We’re checking our roadways for any safety hazards — making sure potholes are filled, making sure we don’t that any steel plates, so that when winter weather is upon us, we can plow the roads safely,” said spokeswoman Paulette Jones, at the agency’s operations center, in Forestville, Maryland.
On a chilly October morning, crews put their large and small plows, loaders and transport vehicles through their paces, while reporting potential road hazards.
“We all know that we’ve got those manholes in the road. Whenever we hit those manholes with a snow plow, it’ll wake you up,” said Turcios. “Trust me.”
Fall’s here, winter’s not far behind. @PGCountyDPWT holds snow and ice dry run, to make sure equipment, roads are ready for winter weather. pic.twitter.com/mg4lJ55CSY
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) October 22, 2021
Jones said the agency received 10 new 10-wheel plows to handle main roadways for this new season.
Asked if she anticipated problems finding enough drivers, similar to the challenges of school systems finding bus drivers, Jones said no.
“We have Maryland employees — a lot of them, we’re so thankful they’ve been here for many years, and we expect the same this snow season,” she said.
Jones did have an early request for residents: Plan for parking when the snow begins to fall.
“It doesn’t have to be on the right side, or the left side of the street — just on the same side side of the street,” Jones said. “Especially if it’s a narrow roadway, so that our vehicles are able to come down and plow the roadway.”
Turcios encouraged residents to put-off trips to the store during the early hours of a snow or ice storm.
“It gets dark and slippery, and we get all those accidents that we’re trying to avoid,” he said.
“We’re trying to help. Please stay home. And that will help us provide you with a better, safe, snow event.”
