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More sanders for the next snowstorm

WSDOT snowplows on I-5 during the November snowstorm
WSDOT
WSDOT snowplows on I-5 during the November snowstorm

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is preparing for the next snowstorm in the Puget Sound Region with the addition of eight new "mini-sander" pickup trucks.  The trucks are being turned into sanders with the addition of hoppers and equipment mounted on the tailgates.

WSDOT Communications manager Steve Pierce says the little trucks will be able to reach places the bigger sanders can't go:

“The fact that we couldn’t get some of our large sanding equipment to the scene of some of the most significant collisions during the Thanksgiving week storm caused us to look for solutions. Converting some of our trucks into mini-sanders will let us maneuver more easily through stalled traffic to a problem area.”

WSDOT will also be deploying new "joint response teams", matching a snow plow with a Washington State Patrol car.  The teams will go to priority collisions involving buses, semi-trucks and other large vehicles.

Dave Meyer has been anchoring KNKX news shows since 1987. He grew up along the shores of Hood Canal near Belfair and graduated from Washington State University with degrees in communications and psychology.