The ”A team”-minus Mr. T, George Peppard and their fearless contemporaries-springs into action in Downers Grove at the first sign of a snowflake, according to Acting Village Manager Mark Morien. Armed with plows and salt spreaders, they fan out across the village, clearing major thoroughfares and side streets.
”We want to have it off all streets within nine hours of the conclusion of the snowfall,” said Gary Walk, the village`s public works director.
”The village has had a policy for years of bare pavement,” Morien said.
When snow falls at a furious pace or continues at a steady rate, day after day, the ”B team,” is called into action. Comprising engineering, community relations and community development personnel, this back-up army of snow commandos does what it can to keep the bare pavement policy untarnished. ”Their primary job is to keep things going while the A team gets to go home and get some sleep,” Walk said.
Due west, in Naperville, public works employees similarly reinforced by city workers from other departments, attack arterial and collector streets before moving the plows to the less-traveled routes, said Public Works Director Ned Becker.
Becker said Naperville, like most suburban communities, prepares for the worst but hopes for the best. ”We`ve got to be geared up to deal with whatever happens,” he said.
The city subscribes to a private meteorological service for five-day forecasts and updates. Officials also keep on eye on televised weather reports. ”I`ve been pretty impressed with the weather channel that runs off cable,” Becker said.
Still, the burgeoning suburb`s leaders are investigating other forecasting alternatives.
”We`re looking at radar. We might add a system that could be run on a cooperative basis with some other communities,” Becker said. The city is considering contracting with the Tollway Authority to share its radar system, he said.
Wheaton also depends on a meteorological service for advance snow warnings. The city`s public works director, Joseph Knippen, is optimistic about the upcoming snow season. ”Hopefully, it`ll be a normal winter with 36 to 40 inches of snow,” he said.
About 2,700 tons of salt and calcium chloride are seeded along Wheaton`s streets and sidewalks during a ”normal winter.” Downers Grove uses about 4,200 tons per year, according to Morien. Becker said Naperville streets usually require about 4,000 tons of salt; Lombard uses about 3,000 tons each year, said Joe Breinig, Lombard`s acting public works director.
Though most municipalities check plows, salt spreaders and other equipment as early as mid-summer and store a healthy supply of salt long before precipitation threatens travel conditions, trying to prepare for specific weather patterns is nearly impossible, officials from a sampling of Du Page towns agreed.
Said Breinig, ”No two storms are ever the same.”
