Highway Commissioner, THOMAS W. GOOCH

Do we have it bad or could it be worse?

 

“There seems to be some dispute that the cold and snows of our youth were worse than of recent years, yet reports of meteorologists and weather bureaus bear that out. .... Before autos, your author remembers that snows were too deep at times for a team and a bob sleigh to wallow through, and a team of horses could take a lot more of it than an auto can. Wire fences were cut and farmers coming to town with their morning milk drove across fields or along the inside of hedges which were all too many in snow storms. On January 17, 1918 the snow was so deep at sub-zero that a drift had to be tunneled through to get into Evergreen Cemetery at the middle gate. There was no traction for wheels and a team and sleigh were used for the Fred E. Lines burial. The tunnel fell in and had to be shoveled out again by hand. No scoops or dredges then.....In earlier days when that cut east of the village was filled with snow, a canadian rotary snow plow was sent for, and some of our men laughed and said it could never go through. They sat high up on the fence to laugh and watch, not reckoning with the mogul down there boring a mammoth hole and spewing its snow out to one side. The rotary snow plow went on through about its business, but the scoffers were no longer on the fence, they had to be dug out of the snow....”  From “A History of Barrington, Illinois ” by Arnett C. Lines.

 

I guess we could have it a lot worse, but it sure seems like this winter is shaping up to be just as bad.  During December we started with a storm on the first and about every 4 days we had another including two events of more than 10 inches each and 5 freezing rain events.  I really appreciate your patience and tolerance as some of these events were so large that correspondingly a great deal of time was needed to clear the roads.

 

Costs of salt, as you know, are at an all time high.  We have been fortunate in being ahead of the proverbial curve on snow clearing methods over the past few years.  While many municipalities were scrambling to equip trucks with liquid dispensing systems and storage facilities, I had begun this process some five years ago!  Three years ago we began experimenting with liquid calcium chloride, salt brine and even beet juice.  By the time this year rolled around the vast majority of our trucks were equipped with computerized delivery systems and we were well experienced in the use of the new “wonder chemicals”.  It has made a difference; we are using less salt and more liquid, but when we are faced with events such as freezing rain or dropping air temperatures, the salt usage increases.  This year we have the capability to alter the percentages of the chemicals comprising the liquid mix for better efficiency; we are one of few Townships or Villages with this capability and it came from being prepared and getting educated on the developing methods some five years ago!

 

You may notice many of our trucks are shaped differently or look different from the traditional dump truck used to apply salt.  These trucks are equipped with conveyor systems or “v boxes” designed to move the salt to a ‘spinner” located near the road surface.  This reduces the amount of salt spilled or scattered substantially, saving the environment and the amount of salt used.  Currently, we are applying on the average 350 lbs salt per lane mile.  We intend to reduce that rate as the winter progresses and increase the liquid.

You’re always welcome, if curious, to call and stop by to look at the equipment and discuss the methods with me.

 

We still have hand split oak and maple firewood available to residents of the Township only, on Fridays between 7 and 3.  We discourage pick-up truck size loads and try to limit it to a large trunk full, but you come every Friday and we will help you load it- weather permitting!

 

We have already ground the spring mulch and it’s ready for delivery commencing in April.  We’ll begin taking orders for Friday deliveries around April 1, 2009.

 

Even though we have a lot of winter left, I’m planning the construction and paving season now.  If you have a specific concern or question, please call me so that we can chat.  I can’t fix purely private property problems, but frequently the problem involves drainage on the right of way and there is something I can do. 

 

A final note on salt.  We are being subjected to very high salt costs.  I have met with representatives of the major salt companies and can assure you next year we will not be subjected to the State of Illinois controlling our contract or costs, but for this year, like everyone else in Lake and McHenry County, we face high costs and a diminishing supply.  We still have it, but if this winter keeps up like December we may have to begin mixing with sand....

 

This winter, I think, is like the ones my father used to tell me about: You know the ones where all our parents walked barefoot through blizzards and ice storms to get to school almost daily............... STAY WARM