Butler County road
crews finally got a break late yesterday afternoon but were pressed
back into service for yet another, but much lighter round of
snow during the overnight hours. Roads on the County road system
are currently in very good condition following this week's rigorous
efforts by the BCEO Snowfighters and thanks to some sunshine
that finally broke through this morning.
"All County roads
are clear and passable," said Butler County Engineer Greg
Wilkens. "Most are wet due to the melting that is occurring,
but motorists should continue to exercise caution and beware
of slush and icy patches. We would urge extra caution tonight
if the temperatures drop to near zero as predicted. There is
likely to be some re-freezing of roadway surfaces." Wilkens
emphasized that his crews will be called out again tonight should
any problems develop.
The massive snow and
ice storm that struck southwest Ohio this week kept crews in
continuous service from 8:00 Monday night until 4:00 p.m. Thursday
-- 68 straight hours. During that period, the Engineer's Office
spread 1,202 tons of salt, utilized 3,140 gallons of calcium
chloride, and accrued 1,342 labor hours. Total cost for this
storm -- $181,686.
Although over a thousand
tons of salt were used, the primary mode for clearing roads during
deep snows like this is plowing. This is particularly noteworthy
now since there is a nationwide salt shortage and government
agencies everywhere are trying to conserve. The BCEO continues
to be in much better shape than some, with nearly 2,500 tons
of salt still on hand and another 2,000 tons soon to be delivered.
Lots of
Snow and Ice, but not a Record Breaker
Plodding along from
Monday night into late Wednesday morning, the winter storm deposited
10-12 inches of snow and nearly an inch of ice on Butler County.
A first round of snow dropped 4-6 inches, followed by a 16-hour
period of freezing rain and sleet. Another 4-6 inches then piled
on top of the existing snow and ice before it was all over.
BCEO crews reported
slightly higher amounts of snow in the Oxford area with more
ice in the southeastern townships, although the 10-12 inch range
was fairly standard across the entire County. Virtually no drifting
was noticed by the crews, probably due to the icing and lack
of wind. Drifting during heavy snow storms is a common occurrence
in the rural western townships where open spaces and lighter
traffic allow winds to drift snow typically across north-south
roads.
Interestingly, this
week's storm began on January 26, the 31st anniversary of the
1978 blizzard. That historic storm dumped over a foot of snow
on southwest Ohio and produced hurricane-force winds of over
100 mph as temperatures plummeted to near zero (F). To read more
about the "Blizzard of '78," click here.
# # #
For more information
contact:
Chris
Petrocy, BCEO Public Information Supervisor
Greg Wilkens, P.E., P.S.,
Butler County Engineer
Phone 513.867.5744 • Fax 513.867.5849
