Ashland, Ore. — Blizzard conditions on the Siskiyou Summit Monday morning meant more work for Oregon Department of Transportation crews.
With tens of thousands traveling the interstate, many for the holidays, crews are working all hands on deck around the clock to keep the road open and safe.
Transportation Maintenance Coordinator Steve Sill has been doing his job for more than 30 years. He wears many hats, but Monday he operated a snow blower clearing lanes on the pass for drivers and the shoulders for trucks.
“What we’re going to do is relieve all the overburden of snow so that with the overburden gone traffic will be able to utilize all three travel lanes,” Sill said.
His truck is able to move 40 tons of snow an hour. A helpful piece of equipment when he and other crew members are trying to stay ahead of one of the biggest winter storms Sill said he’s ever seen.
“It’s up there in the top five,” he said.
A huge task for Sill and his crew. They’ve been working 12 hour shifts for the past 15 days. And Sill said as of now, there’s no telling when they’ll get a break.
“We have to staff our crews with the prediction of the weather that’s coming and with the forecast we have with winter weather watches and advisories and warnings we can’t afford to go now,” Sill said. “We have to have everyone on hand.”
With on and off chain requirements on the summit ODOT wants to remind drivers to be prepared, check conditions before you go, and always carry chains.
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