UDOT plow crews preparing roads for Thursday's snowstorm

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s Department of Transportation had plow teams out Wednesday evening preparing for Utah’s incoming snowstorm. UDOT crews up Parleys Canyon said they'll use 300 to 400 tons of salt just for Thursday's storm alone. That preparation starts early. "It's a big highway we have to keep open and keep everyone safe," said Dustin Gleed, UDOT Parleys Canyon maintenance shed lead.Gleed said his team has been busy pre-treating the roads Wednesday with brine and salt. "We like to lay down about 30 gallons per lane mile of brine and 200 pounds of salt," said Jordan Caputo, UDOT plow driver. The drivers also double-checked each truck to make sure everything was working. All the preparation is necessary when the storms hit. Gleed said these canyon roads can turn dangerous quick. "We have cars spinning out in front of us, sliding into us. We've got semis sliding," Gleed said.The main message from UDOT's Parleys Canyon team is that dangerous drivers make it for themselves and the plows when they try to pass them in the snow. UDOT crews told KSL TV it gets even more dangerous when cars pass the plows, like one driver did, caught on camera Wednesday night, as crews were pretreating the roads. They're asking drivers to stop. Their work Wednesday is to make the roads safe, for those same cars headed through the canyon in the morning. "Do not pass us. The more you do that, the slower we are," Gleed said

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