PORTLAND, Maine — Portland's Public Works Department has nearly 5,000 tons of salt on hand as crews get ready to tackle Maine's next winter storm.
“We won’t use anywhere near that for this storm,” Mike Murry, acting director of Portland's Public Works Department, said. "We're well suited for whatever mother nature brings to us. It's really going to depend on how the storm comes in as to how much product we use."
Murry gave NEWS CENTER Maine a tour of their maintenance facility Thursday afternoon, and details on how the department plans to prepare for the snow.
Portland is expected to use around 30 plow trucks during and after the storm.
“Additionally, there will be sidewalk units that will be out throughout the night, through the parks department and through our own downtown district crews making sure sidewalks are treated and passable for the traveling public,” Murray added.
We also checked in with Bangor’s Public Works Department to see how it plans to take on this storm.
“We have someone on duty 24 hours here at dispatch," Bangor Public Works Department Director Aaron Houtari said. "They’re always keeping an eye on the roads.”
Houtari told NEWS CENTER Maine once the first report of accumulation comes in, plow trucks will hit the road.
“We're asking the public to pay attention to those parking bans," he said. "In the downtown district, we do have a parking ban tonight that allows us to get the snow cleared up without having to work around vehicles."