A role model for innovation Diana Clonch President, D.W. Clonch Columbus, Ohio President-Elect, APWA Ohio Chapter hose in quest of a role model for innovation, collaboration, and sustainability within the winter maintenance community can find a shining example in the City of Lancaster, Ohio, located just southeast of Columbus, Ohio. Lancaster, with a population just under 40,000 and roughly 384 lane-miles of roadway, is typical of agencies across the country that struggle to provide adequate levels of service on declining budgets and dwindling resources. From this struggle, the Lancaster Department of Transportation (LDOT) Operation Manager, Greg Hintz, a twenty-twoyear veteran of the department, attributes success to “thinking outside of the box” and a strong support system both internally and externally. Maintaining adequate service levels in the light of growing economic hardships and heightened environmental awareness necessitated LDOT to actively seek innovative methods. By 2005 the department noticed the increased use of liquids among the snow and ice community and began serious consideration of incorporating the treatment option. Using the State of Ohio Department of Transportation CO-OP purchasing, Hintz was able to purchase equipment to meet his needs from PENGWYN, a local manufacturer. They purchased basic storage and application equipment and began buying salt brine from the Franklin County Engineer (FCE), a local neighbor who had been using and producing liquids for several years using a PENGWYN brine production system. With much 40 APWA Reporter
November 2012
success the first year, they bought a second 6,000-gallon storage tank to allow for increased application and over the following two years explored the potential for buying their own brine maker. Along with accommodating their own need for salt brine supply, LDOT recognized a similar need among many of their neighbors. Discussions with other local entities to support a collaborative effort has led to today’s growing program affording the use of liquids to others who do not have the facilities or funding to support individual brine production systems. In addition to meeting their own needs, approximately half a dozen of the City’s neighbors now have adequate brine supplies. LDOT’s initial investment in 2005 in a 6,000-gallon storage tank and 1,300-gallon distributor has grown from using 25,000 gallons annually for direct application (anti-icing) to over 100,000 annually in anti-icing
and pre-wetting as well as production for use by other entities. In 2010 Lancaster used 127,000 gallons of brine and produced another 85,000 for neighboring governments.
In addition to adding liquid use and brine production to their arsenal, LDOT was in dire need of a facilities upgrade—including upgrading their salt storage (a 1974 wooden structure that had seen better days) and equipment maintenance (wash rack). The plan for upgrading in 2008 occurred simultaneously with the availability of stimulus money. Applications for both upgrades were submitted during early 2008 and consequently awarded at 50% money each. The proposed upgrades included provisions of total containment and collection of all runoff for reclaiming and reuse in brine production. The design of the system included working with the manufacturer PENGWYN to redesign pumping system hydraulics and electronics
New 2,400-ton salt storage facility with brine manufacturing and brine storage
