300 Tons of De-Icing Mixture Used on Cobb Roads
The county lacks scrapers for the front of its plow trucks.
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Most roads in Cobb County have been encased with sheets of ice the past couple of days, leaving residents to wonder when the roads will be clear.
Cobb Department of Transportation crews have spread a sand-salt-gravel mixture on major thoroughfares, but subdivision and side streets are untouched. The county used 300 tons of the mixture by Tuesday morning, with more loads arriving from the Vulcan Materials plant near McCollum Airport, according to county road maintenance manager Bill Shelton.
Residents may see a plow truck spreading the de-icing mixture but not plowing. The county does not have scrapers to use on the plow trucks, Shelton said.
If you need to make a roadwork request or report a pothole, call the county at 770-528-3666.
Cobb County and Marietta police report that road conditions are still dangerous. Major thoroughfares and subdivision and side streets are icy. Authorities warn drivers to use extreme caution.
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the state’s lead disaster management agency, did not offer help to Cobb County. The agency released a statement that it was up to local governments to request help, and few had made a request.
The state DOT said it was doing all it could to keep the interstates clear of ice, stranded motorists and jackknifed tractor-trailers.
Nathan Deal, during his first news conference as governor, said, "The weather has to cooperate in order for us to do what we really need to do."
Deal went on to say that the state does not spend money on equipment that it won’t regularly use, which is why it does not have much snow and ice removal equipment.
The ice, three-quarters of an inch thick in some places, has not stopped determined residents from driving. The noise of spinning tires has become a familiar sound and will continue to be for a couple of days as subfreezing temperatures sustain the ice.
In This article
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Cobb County Airport/McCollum Field
1723 McCollum Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA -
Cobb County Department of Transportation
1890 County Services Pkwy SW, Marietta, GA
Harry Crawford
2:34 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2011
Cobb County should be better prepared for storms that leave ice on the roads. This is not a new situation. We have faced this for years. Being penny wise-- pound foolish ends up causing dangerous situations to continue. School buses can't get into the subdivisions and side roads. Schools have to remain closed longer. Emergency vehicles can't respond quickly to emergencies. Injured and sick people suffer more and wait much longer to get help. Family members risk the dangerous roads to get help for their loved ones. Fires can't be put out quickly because the fire trucks can't get there quick enough due to the bad road conditions. This is not rocket science. Make the clearance of roads a number one priority. Invest in the equipment. It is an initially higher cost but once the equipment is purchased there is relatively minor costs for upkeep. I'm sure the Cobb County voters would approve the SPLOST 1% cost for use this way rather than using it for other projects.
Julia Harris
3:23 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2011
I have to agree with Harry. I've lived here for several years. It seems that the winter weather is becoming more harsh every year. Cobb DOT needs to invest in one or two plow scrapers at least. A better plan needs to be in place.
The de-icing mixture should have been spread on roads hours before the storm hit - or when it started - to help prevent ice from forming.
Glenn Rauh
8:45 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2011
Barns Mill road over Black Jack Mountain is always a problem in Cobb, cant you do something about this early on? Where have most of the 300 tons of deicing mixture gone ? Live off of Roswell Rd, Ga 120 and haven't noticed any and, oh yes, I vote in every election...
Glenn Rauh
Glenn Rauh
8:58 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2011
Barns Mill over Black Jack Mountain is always bad with winter weather. Cant you do something about this early on ? Curious, where have most of the 300 tons of deicer been spread ? I live off Roswell Rd, Ga 120 and haven't noticed any ? Oh yes, am a voter and vote in nearly every election...
Glenn Rauh
Jason H.
10:07 am on Saturday, January 15, 2011
I spoke to Bill Shelton and this guy doesn't have a clue as to where he is even at most of the time! I stopped on of their trucks and the guys looked worn out but they didn't seem to have a clue as to what direction they were headed in their clean up effort...I called DOT and they had no clue what was going on! I think they have a lot to learn from this storm and their lack of management!
We cleaned up our own streets where I live!