Date:  Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Contact: Dustin Terpening, Communications, 360-757-5997 (Burlington)
Ric Willand, Maintenance Supervisor, 360-788-2528 (Bellingham)

BELLINGHAM – Nothing says winter is close like snow in the mountains and cold, wet, windy weather in the forecast. Whatcom County has all that – and road crews outfitting trucks with snow gear.

With forecasters calling for an extreme La Nina winter, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is already preparing.

“We’re getting the trucks and supplies ready now so we’re geared up for whatever comes our way this winter,” said WSDOT maintenance supervisor Ric Willand. “We’ll be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.”

Maintenance crews spent Wednesday dusting off snow gear and converting their year-round, do-everything trucks to snowplows. They attached plow blades, sand/salt spreaders and anti-icer sprayers and calibrated the equipment.

Photos of crews prepping the equipment are available online at the WSDOT Flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157625255388300/with/5121082769/.  

“We have 14 trucks to cover 530 lane miles throughout the county,” Willand said. “And all eight of our sand/salt stockpile locations are filled and ready to go.”

Interstate 5, the Guide Meridian and Mount Baker Highway are priority highways, Willand added. WSDOT will shift resources as necessary to keep the highways open during storms.

WSDOT asks drivers to start preparing their vehicles now for winter driving. If you’re headed to a mountain highway, be ready for any and all driving conditions. A winter-driving guide and a check list for your emergency car kit are online:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter.  

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