[Durham INC] Durham Prepares for Winter Weather

Fri Jan 29 13:26:41 EST 2010

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

News Release

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov

For Immediate Release:  January 29, 2010

City of Durham Preparing for Winter Weather Forecast

Waste Disposal & Recycling Center and Household Hazardous Waste Center
Closed Saturday; 

All Friday Evening and Saturday DPR Activities & Programs Cancelled 

DURHAM, N.C. - With winter weather predicted to begin late tonight and
last until Saturday evening, the City of Durham has been busy preparing
to keep city streets operating smoothly.

The Street Maintenance Division of the City's Department of Public Works
has crews on stand-by, ready to use seven salt-and-sand trucks to
specifically target icy "hot spots" as needed.  In addition, the
department has outfitted 30 trucks with plows and salt-and-sand
spreaders and is ready to move into 12-hour shifts to clear the streets
as soon as necessary.  Depending on the duration and magnitude of this
weather event, staff will continue to operate in this mode throughout
the weekend.

City employees began preparing city streets earlier this week by
distributing a salt-brine solution on high-traffic bridges and
overpasses throughout the city limits as well as in the downtown area.
Salt-brine solution is a salt and water mix that is sprayed onto the
roadway surfaces before snow and ice begins to fall, helping to prevent
accumulation from bonding to the road surface.  

"We began Wednesday with pre-treating certain high-traffic roads
throughout the city," said Michael Balzarano, superintendent of the
Street Maintenance Division of the City's Department of Public Works.
"We hope that the combination of the salt-brine solution and
salt-and-sand trucks we have ready to roll will keep our roadways
passable throughout the weekend."

The City's plan of action for clearing or reducing hazards on city
streets is prioritized in the following order:

*         Bridges and overpasses throughout the city.

*         Major arterial streets within the city.

*         Streets to essential health facilities, police and fire
stations and critical community facilities.

*         Routes to two City fuel sites.

*         Streets within the central business district.

*         Clear access to Durham Public Schools.

*         All residential areas with priority initially to passage of
emergency vehicles and then to all traffic.

In anticipation of the predicted winter forecast, the City's Department
of Solid Waste Management has decided to close its Waste Disposal and
Recycling Center (Transfer Station) and its Household Hazardous Waste
Center on Saturday, January 30.  The department does not anticipate any
impact on service collections today, but Saturday's downtown collections
will not take place; instead collections for downtown customers will
occur on Monday, February 1 pending passable road conditions.  If road
conditions are not favorable Monday, February 1, the department may work
a modified schedule and will send a notice of suspended service to the
news media accordingly.

Durham Parks & Recreation (DPR) is cancelling all athletic and
recreational programs and activities scheduled for after 6 p.m. tonight
and all program and activities scheduled for Saturday, January 30.
Residents participating in previously scheduled activities and programs
for Sunday, January 31 should call the DPR InfoLine at (919) 560-4636 to
check on these cancellations.

Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) and ACCESS plan to operate on their
normal schedule, but clients should anticipate service delays based on
the possibly of treacherous road conditions.  ACCESS clients should note
that during inclement weather, ACCESS strictly operates as a
curb-to-curb service and will not pull into driveways that may pose a
safety risk to staff and clients.

Other City departments are busy preparing for this weekend's weather as
well.  The City's Fleet Management Department will begin operating in
24-hour shifts today to ensure City vehicles remain operable and fuel
sites open during the winter storm.  The City's General Services
Department has ensured all equipment is ready and staged to assist with
any storm debris removal efforts and that downtown walkways, entrances
to City facilities, and parking garages are pre-salted.  The Durham Fire
Department has checked all emergency response vehicles and stands ready
to respond as needed.  The Durham Police Department has prepared its
Inclement Weather Operations Plan, which will be activated as soon as
weather conditions begin to affect the area.  The department has also
adjusted schedules for additional officers to assist with emergency
calls.

Durham residents are reminded to be careful of downed power lines and to
report them to Duke Energy at 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766) or in
Spanish at 1-866-4APAGON (1-866-427-2466).

To report downed trees on city streets, residents should contact the
Durham Emergency Communications Center Non-Emergency Line at (919)
560-4600 unless the downed tree presents an immediate, life-threatening
hazard; then motorists should call 911. 

Residents and property owners are responsible for snow and ice removal
in their driveways, apartment access roads, parking lots and sidewalks.
The clearing of private streets is the responsibility of the homeowners
within that subdivision.  In order to facilitate snow and ice removal on
city streets, residents can help by adhering to the following tips:

*         Stay off the roads if at all possible.  If you must drive, be
sure you have good all-weather tires or chains.

*         If at all possible, park your car off the street or highway to
let salt-and-sand spreaders pass with ease.

*         If your problem is a life-or-death emergency, call 911.

Finally, the Durham Police Department advises motorists to treat
intersections with malfunctioning traffic lights as four-way stops and
proceed with caution.

For additional information on other City services, facilities, or
programs that may be affected by the predicted winter weather, contact
Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200, visit the City's Web site at 
www.durhamnc.gov, or tune into DTV8 either on Time Warner Cable channel
8 or online at www.durhamnc.gov/dtv8 <http://www.durhamnc.gov/dtv8/> . 

News Media:  For information throughout the weekend regarding general
City of Durham weather preparations, contact Beverly B. Thompson via
cell phone at (919) 475-2362.  For information regarding road conditions
and vehicle accidents throughout the weekend, contact the Durham Police
Department Watch Commander via cell phone at (919) 475-2511.

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