Crews across New Jersey spent the week preparing for another round of winter weather that will blanket the state on Sunday.
In Woodbridge Township, public works crews were already treating roads Saturday morning, as the township prepares for its third winter storm in recent weeks. Public Works Director George Brew said the department is fully prepared.
“All of our trucks are ready. Plows are on, salters are on. They’re all loaded and ready to go. So today is kind of the calm before the storm,” Brew said.
Brew said the township received a salt delivery earlier this week and produces its own brine on site.
“So basically, it’s a saltwater mixture,” Brew said. “We mix regular road salt with the water. They get it to a 23.5% salinity.”
In addition to plow trucks and salt spreaders, the township also has specialized equipment, including a snow melter, called the “Snow Dragon” capable of melting large amounts of snow even in the worst conditions.
Brew said the township is aiming to have roads cleared by late morning or early afternoon Monday. He asked everyone to stay off the roads if possible.
“If you don’t need to drive, if you’re not an essential worker, I believe the governor put in a state of emergency,” Brew said. “Just stay off the roads. And a big thing is getting your cars off the road so our plows can get curb to curb.”
Brew also said it may be good advice not to shovel the section of snow between your driveway and the street, as plows can push snow back into cleared areas during their passes, making the snow mounds larger, and more difficult to shovel later on.