WOOD COUNTY, Ohio -
Winter is almost officially here, and ODOT is doing something different that should lead to big savings as they try to keep the roads clear of snow and ice.
These are savings of around ten million dollars, according to their estimates.
ODOT District 2 works hard to keep 3,500 miles of road free of snow and ice in Northwest Ohio.They put your tax dollars to work as they battle mother nature every winter. Last winter, nature didn't put up much of a fight, with only 20.8" of snow in Toledo. Because we didn't see so much snow last year, ODOT says they have a massive stockpile of 209,000 tons of salt left over from last year. That gives ODOT a major head-start this winter, but the massive savings of around ten million dollars are actually coming from something different.
In the past, salt companies bid on contracts on a county-by-county basis. Instead of county-by-county orders, the salt is now purchased by district. In District 2's case, this combines the buying power of eight counties.
Theresa Pollick, the Public Information Officer for ODOT's District Two explained, "Many shoppers out there shop in bulk, and sometimes you'll get a better price for the commodity. In this case, we're talking about salt. We've been able to do that by purchasing larger quantities through the districts, and we have 12 of them, and that's added up to a lot of savings for everybody - including the taxpayers."
The millions of dollars saved are still used by ODOT. ODOT says the extra money is then spent on things like equipment maintenance, and purchasing more cost-effective vehicles.
The end result leaves ODOT saying they're especially prepared to face Old Man Winter, this year.
ODOT says they are pre-treating some of the bridges and overpasses this evening, as snow showers could make a few areas slick.
They also remind motorists, "in ice and snow, take it slow", especially this December, since it has been about nine months since we've dealt with winter driving.
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