First snow of 2022 challenges DelDOT

A combination of factors presented challenges to Delaware Department of Transportation's snow-removal operations during the Jan. 3 snowstorm.

“We had snowfall rates exceeding an inch an hour at times and whiteout conditions with winds, which makes it extremely difficult for our plow drivers to make any real progress on clearing the roads,” said C.R. McLeod, DelDOT director of community relations.

The highest snow accumulations were in the Ellendale-Georgetown area, with as much as 14 inches recorded in what was primarily a southern Delaware storm. Accumulations in New Castle County were not significant, and snowplow crews were assigned to areas in Kent and Sussex counties.

Crews were on the job by 3 a.m., Jan. 3. They worked throughout the night in shifts, because a minimum five-hour rest period is required every 24 hours.

In addition, because of rainfall preceding the storm, roads could not be treated with a brine solution of salt and water, which adheres to road surfaces to melt snow and ice.

“Given the amount of snow and the duration of the storm, we felt like we did all that we could possibly do during the storm,” McLeod said.

DelDOT crews may be tested again with more snow in the forecast overnight for Thursday, Jan. 6.

Schools were closed for three days, and most government offices and many businesses in Sussex County were closed for two days.

A plan for snow removal

DelDOT has a plan for plowing priorities, which includes the main routes in Sussex County such as Routes 1, 13 and 113 as the highest priority, followed by secondary and local roads. “We won’t start working on other roads until those primary roads are in good condition. They were not in good condition, so it was an extended effort to keep working those roads before we could begin branching off to address other roads,” McLeod said.

“Thankfully, the sun and above-freezing temperatures really helped on Tuesday,” he added.

In extreme circumstances, the state hires private contractors and farmers to help plow roads.

DelDOT maintains 14,000 miles of roads throughout the state and has 400 pieces of equipment dedicated to snow removal.

Plowing in subdivisions

State law provides up to 75 percent reimbursement to homeowners associations for snow removal if the streets within a development are state maintained. Snowfalls of 4 to 6 inches are required before reimbursement can be made. Developments with private roads are not eligible under the program.

McLeod said HOAs of subdivisions built after 2004 with state-maintained roads are required to participate in the reimbursement program but have an option to opt out. HOAs of subdivisions built prior to 2004 can have DelDOT crews plow their streets, participate in the reimbursement program or opt out.

McLeod said if an association’s roads are dedicated as private use, or dedicated as private with public use, they are not eligible to participate in the reimbursement program or have DelDOT plow them, because these types of roads are not inspected to ensure they meet state safety and development standards. “Generally, these roads are built to county standards, not state standards. This happens a lot with subdivisions in Sussex County as the developer wants to market the communities as private/gated communities, and we would not be accepting those roads,” he said.

See more about DelDOT's snow-removal plan at deldot.gov/About/faqs/index.shtml?dc=snowFAQ.