Kingsport Streets and Sanitation Division to host annual Snow Removal Equipment Inspection on Friday

KINGSPORT – With October over, thoughts quickly turn to winter, at least for Kingsport Public Works Departments Streets and Sanitation Division, which is hosting its annual inspection of snow removal equipment at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2013 at the Public Works Complex on Industry Drive.

Currently, the City has 3,200 tons of salt on hand and 28 vehicles featuring snow removal equipment such as salt spreaders and snow plows. This includes 11 pick-up trucks, nine single-axle dump trucks, three single-axle dump trucks which spread salt brine for pre-treating roads prior to a snow event, and five tandem axle dump trucks. An additional two pick-up trucks and two snow plows are on order to assist with newly annexed areas.

Over the last ten years, on average, we have handled six snow events a year and spread an average of 1,555 tons of salt, Streets and Sanitation Manager Ronnie Hammonds said Thursday. We had a low year where we only used 110 tons of salt in that period, with our highest usage being 4,076 tons of salt during that timeframe.

Last years addition of brine pre-treatment systems were key to helping Streets and Sanitation cover an expanding road network. The salt brine creates a barrier between the roadway and snow or ice, making it easier to remove.

This works well as long as there is some advance notice of a snow event. Unexpected snow events, such as the event in January of 2013 that dumped snow at peak rush hour, it is difficult to pre-treat to a level that allows quickly reopening routes.

For more information on the Snow Removal Equipment Inspection, please contact Ronnie Hammonds at the event or phone 423-229-9451.