City of Dayton: Stay off roads, allow crews to clear streets

DAYTON — The rain is falling now, but this winter storm is expected to bring freezing rain, ice and snow as it moves through the Miami Valley.

The city of Dayton is gearing up to face possible problems on the streets and potential storm-related power outages.

Dayton city leaders met on Wednesday morning to discuss their plans and preparations. They said they expect to have drivers in snowplows on 44 different routes as the ice and snow move in, beginning with that change over in precipitation early Thursday morning.

>> What We Know: Winter Storm Warning issued for region; Accumulating ice, snow expected

City leaders are asking people that do not need to drive to stay off the roads on Thursday and Friday to allow city crews to clear the streets of whatever precipitation that falls.

Crews are not expected to use any salt on Wednesday because the rain will wash it away. However, they expect to use plenty of salt on Thursday and Friday to help melt slush, ice and snow.

Dayton’s Public Works Director, Fred Stovall, said even after it begins to snow, you might see trucks coming through without their plows down. He said it’s a process to clear the streets in the most efficient way.

>> Storm Tracking Alert: Winter Storm Warning issued for entire Miami Valley

“I plow the snow away and then drop some salt behind. By the time I circle back hopefully the salt has done its job and melted the ice and snow down. Then, hopefully when I come back around a second time, the plow is down, and I can push it away. Sometimes we just come in and put the salt down, we can start a chemical reaction to melt, and I can circle back on my route and start to push that off the street, “Stovall said.

He continued by saying that on Thursday morning they will be using salt exclusively as they battle freezing rain, ice, and slush. And they will not drop the plows Thursday until they see accumulating snow, concentrating on highways and main roads first.

Stovall said it could be Friday before there is a lot of work done on residential streets.

©2022 Cox Media Group