WINTER DOLDRUMS

Winter’s been rough, with more snow on way

WEST GOSHEN >> Oh my, what a difference a year can make.

Snow shovels are flying off the shelves and municipal snow plowers have been busy.

During the ongoing winter season, West Goshen Township Manager Casey LaLonde, reported that the township has used 1,200 tons of salt on 96 miles of maintained roads since December 2020, with an ample supply onhand.

West Goshen has received almost two feet of frozen precipitation since Dec. 1, 2020, while less than an inch of the white stuff fell through the entire 2019/2020 winter.

The average annual snowfall in West Goshen is 24 inches and most years the township receives snow through the entire month of March.

Market Street Hardware and General Store, just outside the West Chester Borough, can’t keep up with the demand for sleds, windshield washer fluid, ice scrapers, shovels and de-icers.

Co-owner Frank Eckley said several suppliers have run out of many winter necessities.

Market Street Hardware Associate Mike Dempsey said the business has sold 12 to 15 pallets of rock salt. Each pallet contains 50, 50-pound bags and costs $9.99. The hardware store also sells salt safe for pets and for concrete.

“We get them in and they go right out,” Dempsey said.

West Goshen Township has incurred overtime costs since storms have occurred at night and on weekends, including the Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 Nor’easter. The township typically uses 120 tons of salt for one round of road treatment and several applications are typical for larger snow or icing events.

PennDOT Deputy Communications Director Brad Rudolph reported Tuesday that 110,000 tons of salt were tossed in Chester, Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties so far this season, with 85,000 tons stocked and available.

So far, the winter work has put a $20 million dent in the $29 million PennDOT winter maintenance budget.

If the winter budget is exceeded, there might be fewer road repairs and paving this spring in the Delaware Valley.

“Our budget is still intact,” Rudolph said.

PennDOT’s budget is calculated on a five-year average.

And even though there are only 31 days until the start of spring, winter weather isn’t done in Chester County. AccuWeather is calling for a winter storm Thursday into Friday, with high winds and accumulations of 3 to 6 inches of snow, accompanied by sleet and freezing rain at times. Forecasters are predicting a warming trend for next week, however.

BILL RETTEW - MEDIANEWS GROUP Frank Eckley and Mike Dempsey of Market Street Hardware and General Store are keeping busy this winter.