The temperatures are so low that the salt mixture they typically use isn't effective. The salt is only effective at 20 degrees and above, and we're obviously much colder than that. At these temps, they can only scrape stuff off the roads and wait to put salt down once the temps warm up.

It was in the negatives all night that means salt isn't going to do anything but just refreeze. Their main priority is keeping 60 and 65 open. Once it hits the teens the city roads will clear up pretty quick.

Yeah, but why didn't the city invent a new chemical formula for melting frozen stuff so that I could get outside and zoom around town with my Venti.

They always do a horrible job and have as long as I can remember. You're actually better off if you live outside the city.

This article states:

> The City of Springfield says they have snow plows working 24 hours today to help keep roads clear throughout the city. They are encouraging drivers to remember to space for snowplows.

Frankly, I think that's a lie. I didn't see one city snowplow when I was out driving yesterday, nor on the traffic cameras I looked at last night. There's no evidence of plowing on the roads that I can see, either.

Way too cold to salt for ice.

Salting the roads works by lowering the freezing point of water. This is only effective if the temperatures are above the freezing point of salt water (at whatever concentration of salt is being put down).

Use common sense and understand how a snow plow and salt works. They definitely only function to remove built up snow to make it easier for vehicles to pass through under essential travel. It's not possible for them to take the bucket right to the asphalt, and they also risk damaging equipment and the road surface if they try. Plus, as others have already said, salt doesn't work at these low of temps, and what does melt just refreezes into a sheet of ice. It's not feasible for the city to pay out millions of dollars so someone can drive their junky Pontiac G6 for two days as if it were normal driving conditions. Ice is okay to drive on, provided people aren't idiots.

AKA: Damn Jackie, I can't control the weather.

Spgf isn’t going to pay for the same chemical blue spray that CO uses just to use it maybe 2 days out of the year lmfao

Yes, because no one needs to travel for work or emergencies or anything. There's really no need to clear the roads at all.

Are we in the same Springfield? Ive traveled for work most of my life, and the snowy road management here isn’t any worse than anywhere else. It is a lot better than some places…enough so that it makes me appreciate what they do here.

They did clear the roads, but they can't feasibly remove the hazardous conditions. That's why people need to change the way they drive.

You know what temp water freezes right? We’re so so so far below that. So what’s the point of paying employees and for gas and product for something that’s just going to refreeze and they’ll have to do AGAIN. Common sense is lacking in Springfield, I know. But Jesus.

Learn to drive? It's 3 inches of dry snow.

I didn't mention anything about salt, and my main point was that the city consistently does a poor job clearing the streets.

I mentioned the article because the city claims that plows are out keeping the roads clear when, regardless of the reason, they do not appear to be.

Reading comprehension is lacking on this sub, I know. But Jesus.

I don't have a problem driving in snow, but that doesn't mean the city shouldn't be better at clearing the roads. You're trivializing the need to travel was what I was responding to. Not everyone has the luxury of staying home.

I mean, I saw four plows yesterday on my 15 minute drive home from work. So just because you didn’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t out.

Salting and plowing a large amount of paved surfaces is enormously expensive. As a taxpayer, I appreciate the lack of wanton waste of our financial and environmental resources. There's no reason a responsible person couldn't get to where they need to be. Drive safe, compadre.

That's fair, I'll stand corrected on that part. I genuinely didn't see them, and was out long enough that I thought I would have.

I have ten snow plows that I rent to the city. And this year, I can’t. Because I wanted to make you frustrated. And I own a salt and gravel mine. But now here we are. Still a Nope.

I can offer an egg in these trying times though.

You have to be one of those people driving an F250, lights off and a salt life sticker. That is funny as hell to me. Just learn to drive. And yes, I can be rude. A hitch with nothing to tow! HAHA oh gosh. I love this town.

And do you plan on training all these drivers on how to drive in the snow or should they just go out and wreck a few times till they figure it out?

Start slow.

You replied to your own comment. Twice. Are you ok? Do you need us to call someone?

Nope. I didn’t get it all outta my system. I did though, but not systemd though. A shame.

Because we are a city that fundamentally does not believe in collecting sufficient taxes to fund adequate services.

I actually did not know that, thanks! it's just frustrating because I was in Bolivar this morning and the roads there are pretty damn clear and then I get on the main streets of springfield and the roads are just compact snow everywhere. my family is from Northern Iowa so I can personally handle a lot of snow but avoiding the other drivers sliding all over the place is a huge pain in the ass

You must be new here: Springfieldians maintain a dormant form of PTSD that is triggered by the possibility of driving in snow. This allows them to get one or two snow days a year for only nominal snowfall.

Some of us come by this honestly, as the early aught pre-Christmas traffic jam had everyone I know in stop and go traffic for six to eight hours. The fact that this has been sublimated into a culture of having inappropriate freak outs whenever snow begins to fall is unfortunate (and a bit of a chicken-egg thing).

They never do the side streets in any of the neighborhoods I've been in. Every year I watch my redneck neighbors smash into each other and go off the side of the road. Normally they get to the main roads when it's warm enough to be effective, but the side streets are what worry me.

I'd be careful anyway. The other drivers have been unusually aggressive. Cutting people off on ice? What if I couldn't stop??? People act like theyll never get anywhere if they are peeling out on the ice or something

Was -15 wirh wind chill at one point. Seemed ok

Also don't they throw sand down on add texture for traction?

It lows the freezing point therefore lowering the melting point

You can experiment with this concept at your house too

Get a large bowl, room tempeture can of soda, salt, and ice.

Add water and a lot of salt to the bowl. Stir up so the salt is dissolved into the water

Add the can of soda

Add the ice.

Now stir. You'll notice the ice melt fast. Faster the ice melts the faster the water will become cold.

Remove the can of coke and open it and taste. Should be ice cold.

Why? Ice cools water (or whatever) by absorbing the heat from the liquid or surface. In exchange the liquid or surface is cooled. The faster it melts the faster this exchange happens. It takes a lot of energy to cool things or to heat things. They will eventually meet equilibrium and be losing cold to the air or surface they are in contact with by conduction convection and well this wasn't supposed to be a complicated explanation so we'll just leave it at that.

Your house's ac works on this same concept sort of. It's not magically spitting cold air into your house it's sucking the heat out and passing it over something cooler then returning it back to your house. In the case of hvac it's compressed gas/fluid. Altitude and atmosphere effects the properties of things like the boiling point and ok im gonna stop

Was this the time that we had a glaze of ice fall mid afternoon? Like maybe 10 years ago? I worked outside at the time and was dressed for the weather, saw the chaos on glenstone then national and just parked and walked home. Took a couple hours but faster than traffic.

Not sure why you are being down voted. The City should clear the roads, and it doesn't make sense why they leave it to thaw, refreeze, thaw, refreeze. Other cities have no problem clearing streets.

Also the argument that road salt doesn't work is moot - they could use calcium chloride (effective up to -25 F) instead of the standard road salt. It is better for the environment and takes less to be effective.