MassDOT has 3,900 Pieces of Equipment Ready To Handle Snow

The following is a press release from MassDOT submitted to SOURCE media.

***

[broadstreet zone=”51611″]

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising that the National Weather Service has forecasted a winter storm today, January 26, which will bring moderate snow accumulations to various locations throughout the Commonwealth.

The snowfall is expected to begin late this afternoon, and will continue overnight into Wednesday morning before tapering off Wednesday afternoon. In addition, subsequent snow showers are anticipated on Wednesday evening before tapering off early Thursday.

The snow accumulations Eastern Massachusetts and coastal regions may receive up to two to four inches.

[broadstreet zone=”50047″]

Snowfall accumulations may create challenging travel conditions during overnight hours and morning and evening commutes. The public is advised to slow down and use caution, always wear seatbelts, minimize distractions, turn off or put away cellphones and devote full attention to what is ahead on the road.

“Everyone traveling should monitor the forecast and expect to travel at slower speeds when the snow is falling,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “If you have to be out during these hours please keep a safe distance behind other vehicles and allow for plenty of time to slow down, and most importantly reduce speeds and wear your seatbelt.”

[broadstreet zone=”59948″]

MassDOT’s snow and ice operations will be deployed throughout the Commonwealth as conditions necessitate. Highway Districts continually conduct preparation activities in advance of new weather systems and are able to pretreat roadways with brine and Magnesium Chloride when necessary.

In the most severe storms, MassDOT’s Highway Division is able to deploy up to 700 personnel to perform snow and ice removal operations to utilize more than 15,000 lane miles of roadway throughout the Commonwealth.

MassDOT has approximately 3,900 pieces of state and vendor equipment available for snow and ice operations and this includes over 1,400 plow and spreader combos, 2,100 plows, and 460 front-end loaders.