Repeated winter weather means roadway reminders and salt supply strain

More winter weather means more preps for people across Connecticut. There is potential for another slick commute Thursday morning and folks are prepping for it.

“That’s where all the business was, was ice melt and snow shovels,” Joshua Spagna said at Rocky’s Ace Hardware in Vernon.

He said the last couple of weeks, ice melt and snow shovels have been flying off store shelves. On Wednesday, they had a truck load delivered right before we swung by for an interview. They took a few minutes to move a few pallets onto the floor for buyers.

Spagna said because of these interval winter storms, keeping the ice melt in stock has been tough, saying, “Last week was pretty rough, we were just trying to keep up with the ice melt demand.”

In the couple of hours we were by the store, once they were restocked, there were a steady stream of people stopping by and grabbing a bag or two to make it through the remainder of winter.

Spagna offered some advice for people on the hunt.

“If you find ice melt, grab it, stock up on it,” he said.

The wintry mix on the way doesn’t just impact sidewalks and driveways, but roads, too.

“Tires are really important during the winter season; you always want to have a good tread," David Burgio with Santo Driving School in Rocky Hill said as he walked us around one of the cars they train students on.

He said preparing and making sure cars are ready to roll is critical when inclement weather moves in.

Burgio said the small details like ensuring all lights are working, windshield wipers are clean and clear, and tires are in good condition can make a big difference in rough weather.

“Driving too fast for the conditions would probably be the greatest one,” he said when asked him about the biggest mistake they see on the road in bad weather.

He said slowing down goes a long way, along with keeping extra space (eight to 10 seconds) between you and the driver in front of you for adequate stopping time if someone hits the breaks.

When you are behind the wheel, you should be calm and gentle.

“Your inputs are very gentle whether that’s steering inputs or braking inputs, you don’t want to make any sudden movements on the vehicle,” Burgio said.

And when conditions aren’t great, “minimizing distractions is a big-time deal,” Burgio said.

They also offered a reminder about clearing off snow and ice from cars. They reminded drivers it’s the law and allows for safe driving for you and those around you.