PennDOT crews ready for incoming ice storm

GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - With a potential ice storm set to impact the area, PennDOT crews and motorists are preparing for whatever Mother Nature throws at us, especially in areas in the eastern part of the Pittsburgh area. 

PennDOT says it's as ready as it can be for the ice storm, but as always, they're asking drivers to avoid driving and give their plow trucks space.

It would seem like winter delayed its debut, but all good things come to an end. The ice is on the way and PennDOT says it's good to go.

"Fayette and Westmoreland County, we will have crews out prior to the storm, they will remain out for the duration of the storm," Melissa Macko with PennDOT said. 

PennDOT says what they do depends on what Mother Nature throws at them.

"Their trucks have the technology that monitors the road and the air temperatures and they adjust their materials on the go," Macko said. 

"This specific event doesn't allow us to pretreat because the forecast calls for rain and that just washes the material away," Macko added.

And while you may think your street's been ignored, Macko says, "It may take a little longer, but we will get there. Just be patient with us, we're out and we have all of our available crews out."

As for how to drive on the ice, if you've never done it before, Joe Petrick of Greensburg has some quality advice.

"Slow, steady pace, don't get too close to anybody else, don't hit the brake," Petrick said. 

In PennDOT District 10, Tina Gibbs said crews are currently on 24-hour shifts for full coverage. 

Gibbs said depending on what the weather does and when will determine how many plow trucks will hit the roads late Wednesday night. She said they have 42 trucks in total that are all equipped with technology that helps monitor and treat the roads.  

"All of our trucks, they're equipped with the equipment that will tell them air temperatures, road temperatures. It helps them gauge how much materials to put out on the roadways," Gibbs said.  

Some areas in the ridges and Laurels could see a quarter-inch to a half-inch of ice. PennDOT said how they treat the roads is key, using a granular treatment rather than salt brine. 

"If we were to put brine down and then it went to rain, the brine simply washes away. Whereas when we put the salt and the antiskid down, as the tires go over it, traffic starts to compact it and break that down. That tends to be heavier, so it stays on the roadways and gives us that extra traction as well as helping with melting the snow, melting the ice and making things easier as the plows come through," Gibbs said. 

Also getting ahead of the storm is Rishel Excavating, a local company from Uniontown that treats and plows the roads at local businesses.  

The owner, Matt Rishel, was out Wednesday night pretreating more than a dozen parking lots. 

"It's good to have some pretreat down especially on hilly areas so you have some bite under your tires so when your back out again in the morning," Rishel said. 

Rishel said this is his second time out this year and knows there's plenty more to come, as it's now just seven days away from the official start of winter. 

"We're just getting started. We're doing some pretreating before the ice and the rain gets here to hopefully be ahead of it mid-morning. We'll probably be back around 3 a.m. and start all over again," Rishel said. 

Even with pretreatment, PennDOT reminds drivers to take it slow and to leave space between your vehicles and plow trucks.  

"If there's no water kicking off the tires of the vehicle in front of you and the road looks glossy, chances are it's ice. So give yourself that extra follow time behind the vehicle because if you need to come to a sudden stop, you'll have the room to do so. Give yourself some extra travel time in the morning," Gibbs said.