IDOT crews prepare for threat of accumulating ice in Chicago area
NEW LENOX, Ill. (CBS) -- With a threat of accumulating ice beginning Wednesday, Illinois Department of Transportation crews were preparing a day ahead of time.
In southwest suburban New Lenox Tuesday afternoon, IDOT trucks were lined up for inspection and cleaning, and crews were putting on the plows.
But some of the most impressive work was happening at the salt dome. IDOT crews were moving 1,000 tons of salt into the 2,500-ton building Tuesday — a restock they ordered well before this storm was in the forecast.
However, IDOT leaders think the biggest part of the battle against the ice won't involve snow scrapers. Instead, pre-treatment is their main strategy.
"We're not looking for a huge plowing operation," Castaneda said. "In fact, you know, with the forecast is saying is that we're not going to get a large accumulation of snow."
A refill of salt was ordered well before the threat of ice entered the forecast, and the order arrived right on time.
"Right now, we got a really good amount of salt. We're fully stocked. You know, we're ready," said IDOT spokeswoman Maria Castaneda. "Typically, depending on how the weather comes in really depends on how we're going to treat that."
The bridges and overpasses freeze first. Crews are trying to avoid any slick spots for an IDOT region with a lot of elevated spaces and more mileage, IDOT said, than most.
The threat of ice is expected to hit exactly one month after the last time CBS News Chicago caught up with the new Lenox IDOT crew. A Jan. 5 overnight storm largely spared the Chicago area.
Now, IDOT is waiting to see what happens this time.
"We have not yet had our typical or our huge storm that I've seen here," Castaneda said. "Now again, our southern parts of the state here have been hit quite hard earlier, but yes, you have not yet seen it."
The site in New Lenox gets its cues from leaders in Schaumburg. The Schaumburg IDOT office usually decides by 10:30 a.m. how they'll staff a storm — whether they will use a full, half, or quarter crews.
This New Lenox site has more mileage and bridges than many other parts of the area.
A Winter Weather Advisory begins at noon Wednesday and continues through early Thursday morning for the ice event.
