Crews Clean Up, Prep for More Snow

Inside the salt barn at the Walpole Department of Public Works sat about 700 tons of salt Friday afternoon.

A delivery that came earlier in the morning was already laid on area roadways.

"We had 350 [tons] delivered, probably 350 [tons] went out," said Robert O'Brien, the department's director.

Walpole DPW crews cleared about a foot of snow from Thursday's storm and they're braced for more.

"Every truck is checked and prepped before the storm," said O'Brien.

Each saddle bag on the sides of the trucks is filled with magnesium, which mixes with the salt.

The mixture is more effective on ice and snow.

"One load will probably get me for an hour and a half," said John McCarty, a Highway Department craftsman.

Workers have to be ahead of the storm, which could mean clocking in as early as 3 a.m. before.

Homeowners, on the other hand, can sleep and dig out the next day.

"I'm just pushing a little around," said Thomas Groden. "I just clean up a little around where I park."

"I'm trying to clear away from whatever the street plows have piled up kind of high on the edge of the road," explained Neil Cleveland.

Walpole crews worked 36 hours straight because of Thursday's storm.

With more snow ahead, they'll be back into work Friday evening.

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