BOISE, Idaho — Ada County is expected to get its first real taste of winter weather this week, with two rounds of snow expected over the weekend.
With the storms heading in, challenging conditions on the road are likely to follow. So the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) has been preparing for the snow season since October.
"We start the year with a pretty healthy supply of magnesium chloride and salt," Jennifer Berenger, the deputy director of maintenance for ACHD said. "We have what we need for basically a snowmageddon level event. So definitely enough to handle any kind of storm that we get."
Before snowfall, ACHD lays down magnesium chloride as a deicer. Once snow has landed on roads, they use salt or a sand and salt mixture, and the plows come out.
ACHD is coming into the winter with 290,000 total gallons of magnesium chloride, 7,500 tons of rock salt, and 7,500 tons of sand and salt mix.
"We've got 150 operators, and 63 different trucks with 44 of them equipped with plows," Berenger said. "We're able to go into 24-hour operations with that contingent."
ACHD is in charge of 5,300 lane miles across the county. They prioritize major roads, streets with grades over six percent, emergency areas around fire stations and hospitals, and school routes.
"So the priority tends to be on the arterioles and the collectors, and we do multiple passes in all the different directions to ensure safe operations and safe road conditions throughout the day," Berenger said.
ACHD has Ada County split into 33 different routes for their fleet of trucks and plows to cover.
As for what to expect over the weekend, Ada County could see rain before the snowfall, so ACHD would have to hit the roads more often.
"The biggest thing is watching the weather. We're watching it ahead of the storm, during the storm," Berenger said. "We're in constant contact with the different keepers of the models for the weather, so we know how weather is going to change. With this particular storm, there are a lot of unknowns. So, the biggest tip I can say is just watch the weather, plan ahead if you're going someplace get out a little earlier. I know there are a lot of people preparing for Christmas parties and weekend holiday parties - just give yourself extra time to get there just in case those temperatures drop suddenly"
To prepare for winter driving conditions, drivers should watch the weather, leave early, drive slowly and keep plenty of distance from other cars on the road.
ACHD also asks drivers to watch out for their trucks,
"If you see a truck putting magnesium chloride down, stay back a little bit so you don't get that onto your car. It's going to do great things to improve the traction on the road helped to prevent the ice from forming," Berenger said. "So just give them space. And if you see the plows out on the road, the plows do extend a little bit beyond the size of the truck. So, make sure that you give them plenty of space as well."
ACHD is also asking residents to do their part to keep storm drains clear. When drains are blocked, water can pool and freeze. Drivers should also move cars off the street, if possible, to allow snowplows better access to the street.
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