With a “Smart Salt Strategy” in place, and a reminder for motorists that in “Ice and Snow…Take it Slow, ” the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) says they are ready for the winter season.

Although the state’s ice and snow equipment is repaired and replaced each spring before being put in storage, ODOT conducts fine tuning operations in the fall to ensure that every plow, truck, and spreader is road ready before they are needed.

Throughout October and November, ODOT’s maintenance forces will hold Operational Readiness events in each of the state’s 88 counties, putting each tuned-up piece of equipment through a series of tests.

When the first snow falls, ODOT will have more than 1,700 plow trucks and more than 3,000 drivers ready to clear ice and snow. During the winter, ODOT maintains nearly 39,000 miles of highway which carries approximately two-thirds of the state’s daily traffic.

Like most Midwest states, Ohio has seen a dramatic increase in the price of rock salt--about $62 a ton compared to $42 per ton last winter. ODOT’s “Smart Salt Strategy” will ensure that crews are as efficient as possible with the salt on hand.

Media attending the Operational Readiness events will receive additional information on the “Ice and Snow… Take it Slow” safety promotion as well as ODOT’s “Smart Salt Strategy.”