OKC doing anything to the streets for this huge ice storm?

[TheTravellers]

Subject pretty much says it all, haven't heard any plans for them to do anything on the news or on the city website. Anybody know?

[boscorama]

They'll be doing what they do. Not just working the weekend, but many coming in during what was supposed to be year-end vacation days (use or lose). I didn't miss seeing the preview of their work on the news thus far. Well, actually, I'm just assuming this.

[Mel]

My son climbed in to his road scraper sanding rig about 4 p.m. He usually works pretty long shifts.

[MustangGT]

Thee are some anti-freeze weeping systems on bridges. But it is STUPID to clear a street time and time again in an ongoing storm. May times they engage in a holding action until the storm subsides and then they really hit it. I support them and thank them every chance I get. Mel tell your son thanks from me.

[TheTravellers]

Thanks for the replies, just thought they would've brined the streets beforehand like they've done before to help prevent it from sticking, but guess that's not part of their strategy anymore, and I hadn't seen or heard of any salt trucks out during the storm (don't think the wife saw any either).

[jn1780]

Thanks for the replies, just thought they would've brined the streets beforehand like they've done before to help prevent it from sticking, but guess that's not part of their strategy anymore, and I hadn't seen or heard of any salt trucks out during the storm (don't think the wife saw any either).

They weren't necessary for this storm. Ground temps were already doing a good job keeping ice off the roads.

[foodiefan]

Thanks for the replies, just thought they would've brined the streets beforehand like they've done before to help prevent it from sticking, but guess that's not part of their strategy anymore, and I hadn't seen or heard of any salt trucks out during the storm (don't think the wife saw any either).

Saw/heard on one of the tv stations that the brining/salt was not effective because the rain was washing it off as soon as they put it down. For the most part, I think the streets people do a great job!!

[venture]

Saw/heard on one of the tv stations that the brining/salt was not effective because the rain was washing it off as soon as they put it down. For the most part, I think the streets people do a great job!!

Most likely the case that the salt was being washed off.

As far as street people always doing a great job? I'll bite my tongue so I don't offend anyone here. I'll just put it this way - Schools/businesses etc shouldn't be closed for 3-5 days after the snow ends.

[jn1780]

Most likely the case that the salt was being washed off.

As far as street people always doing a great job? I'll bite my tongue so I don't offend anyone here. I'll just put it this way - Schools/businesses etc shouldn't be closed for 3-5 days after the snow ends.

I blame that on the lack of equipment and school districts not wanting to drive on a little ice and snow in the neighborhoods.

[venture]

Lack of equipment is only a good excuse for a day or two.

[Plutonic Panda]

Lack of equipment is only a good excuse for a day or two.

They work pretty damn hard. We live in subtropical climate zone, we don't have the equipment prepared for these kinds of storms, especially like the one in 2009. If I recall right, OKC posted something saying there is over 7,000 miles of neighborhood streets and it would take forever to clear those. I blame it on the school district for not manning up and putting chains on the tires.

[venture]

Chains destroys the pavement...so you can't use them. Do I expect every street plowed? Not at all. However, taking a plow down to get some of the snow moved off of the secondary and primary neighborhood streets would do wonders. Let solar radiation do the rest with melting.

[Plutonic Panda]

Chains destroys the pavement...so you can't use them. Do I expect every street plowed? Not at all. However, taking a plow down to get some of the snow moved off of the secondary and primary neighborhood streets would do wonders. Let solar radiation do the rest with melting.

True, I actually didn't think about the fact that the roads weren't iced over. I really don't know then, I'd just think it would be a hassle to get those big truck through neighborhood streets and such.

[ou48A]

Chains destroys the pavement...so you can't use them. Do I expect every street plowed? Not at all. However, taking a plow down to get some of the snow moved off of the secondary and primary neighborhood streets would do wonders. Let solar radiation do the rest with melting.

Chains with certain restrictions can be used in Oklahoma.
I have personally used them on the job while working for major corporations many times when working in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

There usage is actually allowed in many states.
Tire Chain Laws

"Oklahoma - Permissible upon any vehicle when require for safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid."

[Mel]

My son normally drives a cement truck for Schwartz Cement. He contracts out to a company that owns the equipment. They do mostly County work. This time it's was bridges and overpasses that became the main problem. Can't take a rig that size down too many neighborhood streets in Mustang. Everybody uses then instead of their driveway.

[ou48A]

Some places are now using sugar beet juice.... It's not near as corrosive as salt..
I'm not sure if we use much of that in Oklahoma?
Growing sugar beats for the juice sounds like a good job for our state prisoners?

[jn1780]

Lack of equipment is only a good excuse for a day or two.

Ok, so the city doesn't want to pay them to clear neighborhood streets. Every hour spent clearing streets is an hour taken away from their normal everyday city jobs. That's more of a problem with the cities priorities than them not working hard enough.

[venture]

Ok, so the city doesn't want to pay them to clear neighborhood streets. Every hour spent clearing streets is an hour taken away from their normal everyday city jobs. That's more of a problem with the cities priorities than them not working hard enough.

That's the more likely reason. However, how much money is being lost by schools/businesses not being open compared to paying their drivers OT? Probably a number we'll never know.

OU48 - I wasn't meaning you can't use them anywhere, up north and in more snow prone areas they are definitely legal.

[ou48A]

OU48 - I wasn't meaning you can't use them anywhere, up north and in more snow prone areas they are definitely legal.

You sure had me fooled when you said ...and this is your direct quote.

Chains destroys the pavement...so you can't use them.

Seems like a pretty straight forward statement to me!

Tire chains are legal in many states.

[venture]

You sure had me fooled when you said ...and this is your direct quote.

Seems like a pretty straight forward statement to me!

Tire chains are legal in many states.

Well considering this is an Oklahoma board, I wasn't comment on "many state"...which of course they are legal. The laws however vary widely by state and some have very strict conditions on the type and how and where they are used.

Here is a good resource: Chain Law Information, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

[bluedogok]

In certain areas here they are required for commercial traffic and recommended for private vehicles. We need to get some of the cable type for my wife's (2WD) 4Runner, when it comes time to replace that vehicle we will definitely be getting a 4WD/AWD vehicle. They are easy to find here and we just didn't need 4WD when we bought the 4Runner in Austin.

[ou48A]

Well considering this is an Oklahoma board, I wasn't comment on "many state"...which of course they are legal. The laws however vary widely by state and some have very strict conditions on the type and how and where they are used.

Here is a good resource: Chain Law Information, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

Then why on earth would you say “YOU CAN'T USE THEM”

Chains destroys the pavement...so you can't use them. .

[jn1780]

It's not like they park the plows. This was the same kind of complaining that people were doing in other major cities so the started to broadcast the GPS locations of their plow trucks just to shut people up. The trucks keep going. Unless, in OKC they don't. Which would be unusual.

Its pretty rare when they actually get snow routes in "decent" shape before a nice clear sunny day clears everything up for them. The last snow storm they kept plowing snow routes until they were 100% clear and dry which some may argue was overkill.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

You don't use chains when it ices up. That will wreck your tires and not actually work very well. Chains are for snow. Studded tires work well on ice though.

[bluedogok]

You don't use chains when it ices up. That will wreck your tires and not actually work very well. Chains are for snow. Studded tires work well on ice though.

Cross-bar chains are made for more ice than snow, they will tear your tires up if use them when you shouldn't or drive too fast on them so they have to be used judiciously.