Many Roads Still Covered in Ice
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Updated: 8:37 AM Feb 9, 2010
Many Roads Still Covered in Ice
There is more snow forecast to hit the Valley beginning Tuesday, but many roads are still covered in ice and snow from this past weekend's storm.
Posted: 5:46 PM Feb 8, 2010
Reporter: Michael Hyland
Email Address: mhyland@whsv.com
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There is more snow forecast to hit the Valley, but many roads are still covered in ice and snow from this past weekend's storm.

Some people are upset with how long it's taking to get their streets cleared.

Public works crews in Harrisonburg are already preparing for Tuesday's storm by performing maintenance on plows and other machines.

But John Butler, who lives in Harrisonburg, says there is still work that needs to be done on his street after this weekend's storm.

"The city seems to be very unprepared to handle such issues as this, as far as their capacity to get out equipment and personnel to assist the residents of the city," says Butler.

His street isn't busy, but it is very tricky to drive on it.

"Two events and temperatures have plummeted following those events. And, it's really hard to get a hold on the snow removal," says Ken Knight, street superintendent for Harrisonburg's public works department.

Because the storm was so severe, city crews couldn't get to side streets quickly. There was a lot of time for ice to accumulate.

"Once it becomes snow-packed, you can't really treat it because you're trying to fight the snow from the top to the bottom, and that's not the way it works," says Knight.

Marshall Barnhill works for the Virginia Department of Transportation, which treats county roads and all interstates.

Two days after the storm, plows have touched all secondary roads at least once.

"That doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to see bare pavement. So, our crews will continue to work on those roads until conditions improve," says Barnhill.

Butler says he'd like to see more city crews continue to treat the roads too.

"It's about 25 or 30 families out here, and we're all taxpayers just as well as the rest of the city. And, we expect the same support that the rest of the residents of the community expect from the city," says Butler.

Harrisonburg officials say there is no easy fix coming any time soon for this left over ice. They want people to be patient.

But, if you have a safety concern at an intersection or somewhere similar, officials say to call public works at 434-5928.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous Location: verona on Feb 9, 2010 at 03:27 PM

I also live on Leaport Road and those of us that live there never see a snow plow!!! What's the deal ????
Posted by: agr Location: Stuarts Draft on Feb 9, 2010 at 11:29 AM

No plowing on Lipscomb Rd.(on the other side of Mckee). All around us but not us yet.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Stuarts Draft on Feb 9, 2010 at 10:36 AM

I live on Lipscomb road in Stuarts Draft and it hasn't been plowed either. The roads on each end have been plowed several times but not us.
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