Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Winter Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Towns press DOT on salt shortages and supplier delays after a difficult winter
Summary
At an April 9 COG meeting, municipal officials raised delayed deliveries, slow responses and contract issues with private salt suppliers; DOT said it had identified alternate suppliers, is exercising contract remedies when appropriate and has emergency shed capacity but faces environmental siting constraints.
Several municipal officials used the April 9 meeting to press DOT on winter operations after a difficult season, describing delayed deliveries, long invoice processing times and lack of vendor responsiveness from certain suppliers.
Members described invoices delayed by weeks and poor vendor communication that forced towns into emergency procurement and increased local storage needs. Because meeting audio did not identify a single speaker for every complaint, those concerns are described here as arising from "municipal officials" at the COG meeting.
The commissioner acknowledged supply problems this winter and said Gateway in particular was —woefully under supply this year— and that DOT had worked to identify alternative suppliers (including Cargill and other terminals). He said DOT can escalate unresolved vendor issues through contract remedies and by contacting vendor lobbyists to get immediate attention for delivery problems that affect public safety.
On salt application practices, the commissioner said DOT uses a materials decision support system (DSS) in plow trucks that integrates sensor and roadway weather data to reduce over-application and that the agency has moved away from sand because of waterway impacts. He also said DOT—s environmental unit will investigate reported well contamination and, if state responsibility is found, the agency would pay to test and repair a well or provide a replacement.
DOT said it has built emergency storage sheds and is discussing adding capacity, but environmental permitting for additional sheds can be restrictive. Staff urged towns to notify DOT when a contracted vendor fails to respond so the agency can help escalate the issue immediately.
Next steps: DOT will continue outreach to alternate salt suppliers, enforce contract remedies where appropriate, and provide towns with contact paths for urgent procurement failures.
