WINTER MAINTENANCE: FDOT conducts winter weather preparations

Jan. 29, 2016

FDOT conducts winter equipment testing to guard against icy roads and bridges

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) would rather be safe than sorry. FDOT held a winter weather exercise to test out its winter operations equipment in order to avoid a situation two years ago where they were unprepared for icy road conditions.

Ian Satter, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation, said, "What we had two years ago, lots of ice on the bridges, people didn't really know how to drive on it, but our crews really didn't have the right equipment and the right training."

Florida residents will see snow plows on the Hathaway and Bailey Bridges as well as I-79 and S.R. 388 around the Bay County area. FDOT says the bridges are the main focus of the winter equipment testing.

"We want to see how much chemicals will be needed to cover the bridges here in Bay County," said Satter. "We also want to test our crew and their ability to handle the equipment."

The FDOT spent $80,000 on winter equipment, consisting of five snow plows, 42 tons of salt and 44 gallons of chemicals.

Sponsored Recommendations

The Science Behind Sustainable Concrete Sealing Solutions

Extend the lifespan and durability of any concrete. PoreShield is a USDA BioPreferred product and is approved for residential, commercial, and industrial use. It works great above...

Powerful Concrete Protection For ANY Application

PoreShield protects concrete surfaces from water, deicing salts, oil and grease stains, and weather extremes. It's just as effective on major interstates as it is on backyard ...

Concrete Protection That’s Easy on the Environment and Tough to Beat

PoreShield's concrete penetration capabilities go just as deep as our American roots. PoreShield is a plant-based, eco-friendly alternative to solvent-based concrete sealers.

Proven Concrete Protection That’s Safe & Sustainable

Real-life DOT field tests and university researchers have found that PoreShieldTM lasts for 10+ years and extends the life of concrete.