City sanders prioritize which streets receive sanding first

Medford, Ore.- While there may not be snow in the forecast for the Rogue Valley just yet, Medford city workers have been preparing for its arrival.

“As we get called out or when the weather deteriorates or we know it’s going to be bad we will send the sanders out on predetermined routes,” Cory Crebbin, public works director for the city of Medford said. Those routes vary depending on which streets need to be sanded first. “More sand happens where there is more snow and ice,” Crebbin explained.

According to the city, East Medford streets get first priority. “From about Foothill to the east, they do get more sanding because they get more frequent snow and ice and that’s where it happens first,” Crebbin said.

If the weather gets bad, Crebbin said they’ll do what they need to keep people safe. “We’ll sand the whole city if we have to,” he said.

But don’t expect to see snow plows anytime soon. “I have been here for 18 years, last winter was the first time we could have used a snow plow,” said Crebbin.

Since heavy snowfall is rare for the valley, Crebbin says snow plows aren’t cost-effective. “They’d be sitting around for 15 or 20 years waiting for an event that could use them,” he said.

Regardless of what’s to come this winter season, city workers say they can handle it. “We are ready for winter and as you can tell by me standing in my shirt sleeves here today we are waiting for it to arrive.”

The city said, based on past experience, flooding is more frequent than snow and ice. The city has set up a sandbag filling station in the parking lot of the Public Works Service Center
for people who may end up needing them.

You can find more information here.

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