HAMPTON, Va. — Public works crews in Hampton were busy stocking up for another round of snow.
“There are eight 5,500-gallon tanks that are filled with the brine that is mixed here, and then two more filed with calcium chloride when the temperatures drop below freezing,” said city spokesman Michael Holtzclaw.
Brine is their bread and butter. Holtzclaw said crews depleted their supply last weekend.
“The brine mixing tank here can make up to 3,000 gallons of brine in an hour,” he said.
With more weather on the way, crews started pretreating roads Wednesday.
“The brine that is made here and the salt that is stored here is also used in Newport News, and it is used at Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley Research Center,” Holtzclaw said.
He said their focus was busy intersections and roads.
“The crews here in Hampton will focus on the main roadways, the bridges and overpasses, the busiest intersections,” Holtzclaw said. “And then they will move on to some of the more secondary roads.”
While crews are ready to roll, people are rushing out to the grocery store.
“If you do like snow, it’s wonderful,” said Hampton resident Michael Colander. “If you don’t like snow, it’s not a good thing for this area. It doesn’t take much to cripple this area.”
Colander said he doesn’t mind more snow, as long he’s watching it from inside.
“In the house, watching the games, drinking hot chocolate,” Colander said. “And just enjoying the weekend.”
Over the next few days, Holtzclaw said city crews will do what it takes to keep the roads clear.
“When a driver is going to stop, we need to know he or she can stop cleanly,” Holtzclaw said.
The facility also has a huge salt hut that can hold 1,200 tons. After a few winter weather events this month, they just ordered 600 more tons.
Newport News city officials tell us their crews are also getting prepared, mounting equipment on tricks. They will have 25 snowplows ready to roll when it’s time.