
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 4, 1994                   TAG: 9401040139
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PHONES RING BEFORE FIRST FLAKE FALLS

With the threat of another winter storm comes the inevitable onslaught of phone calls and questions to Virginia Department of Transportation employee William Whitlow.

Whitlow, a material technicians supervisor, said Monday night the phones had been relatively quiet, but he didn't expect them to stay that way for long.

"We've only had a few calls each hour, but when the storm hits us, we'll have a lot more."

Whitlow said the most commonly asked question is from people making travel plans who need to know road and interstate conditions.

He said the Salem district headquarters receives updates from residency offices in Bedford, Rocky Mount, Martinsville, Christiansburg and Hillsville.

"Our maintenance people keep in regular contact with their offices through cellular phones or two-way radios."

Another common question is why salt is sometimes used to clear roads and stones used for others.

Salt works better when the temperature is above 20 degrees, Whitlow said, while stone creates traction on tricky spots such as hills and bridges.

Other questions include whether the Transportation Department will plow private driveways (the answer is no), and why some trucks are seen driving down the road with their plows up off the ground.

"Normally, those trucks are coming back to the station to get more fuel or switch shifts. So they can't be slowed down by having their plow down," Whitlow said.

by CNB