Slightly
above average amounts of sleet, freezing rain, and snowfall are
in the forecast for Butler County this winter, and the Engineer's
Office will be ready to keep county roads safe for motorists
throughout the season. The BCEO will host their annual snow plow
ROADEO, which allows crews to practice truck maneuvers through
an obstacle course designed to simulate actual winter situations.
This
fun, yet challenging event offers friendly competition for BCEO
snow truck drivers and their fellow crew members from a dozen
or more area municipalities and townships, who also vie for the
best times and most accurate truck maneuvers. The day before
the ROADEO, drivers will prepare their trucks with salt box and
plow installations, followed by performing dry runs of their
snow plow routes without the distraction of snow and limited
visibility. This measure is an opportunity for the drivers to
re-familiarize themselves, or if it's a new route, become familiar
with various aspects of the route. They will be looking for overhead
hazards, mailbox placement, any obstacles that might trip the
plow blade, and new roadway features such as a newly constructed
roundabout.
The
ROADeo will be at the Engineer's Office next Thursday, November
7, 2019, and will begin after an 8:00 a.m. classroom training
with Operations Deputy Scott Bressler and Abner Johnson, retired
ODOT Weather Systems Coordinator. Topics will include the importance
of pre-trip inspections and equipment maintenance as well as
the RWIS (Road Weather Information System) used by ODOT and how
it could benefit our drivers. In addition to the training, snow
and ice control vendors will be on-site, showcasing their new
equipment, tools, materials, and safety gear.
New
Equipment
The
BCEO Operations Department found a way to save money by giving
old trucks new life. Their "Truck Build" solution for
deteriorated, broken-down trucks has equipped them with enough
snow trucks for two Snow and Ice Control teams of 16 for a fraction
of the cost in prior years. The rebuilding process started with
removing dump beds from older trucks that are no longer dependable
to be front runner snow trucks. Next, they're sandblasted, painted,
and installed on NEW cab and chassis Western Star tandems. (Two
new cab and chassis Western Star tandems were purchased for this
season.) The old snow trucks are not discarded but converted
into construction and dump trucks. Though recycling the equipment
requires a great deal of planning and labor, it results in a
savings of approximtely $60,000 per snow truck.
Salt
Supplies, Salt Contract
The
BCEO will begin this winter season with 13,000 tons of salt stored
in two barns, each with a capacity of 6,500 tons. Last year,
the BCEO used 4,696 tons of salt, which is significantly less
than the average 6,200 tons spread in a typical Butler County
winter.
This
year the BCEO awarded its salt contract for the upcoming winter
season to Cargill, Inc. - Salt, Road Safety, which submitted
a low bid of $73.21 per ton (dumped), over $10 more per ton than
last year. This is a fixed rate, so even if road salt is in high
demand this winter, the BCEO is locked in at that price.
BCEO Truck Build - PPT Presentation
# # #
For more information, contact:
Betsy
Horton,
BCEO Public Information Specialist
Greg
Wilkens, P.E., P.S., Butler County Engineer
Phone 513.867.5744 • Fax 513.867.5849
