Like most early snow storms, this recent snow created additional problems for the Rome Township road crew. Forecasting the timing and amount of snow was difficult due to the air temperature being close to or above freezing. This warm temperature had the road crew on alert for several days before the rain changed over to snow. When the snow did fall it was very wet and easily packed into ice on the roads. The township's stockpile of anti-skid now has a big dent in it.
Another problem caused by the warm rain before the snow is the soft road surface. Most of Rome Township's 50+ miles of roads are dirt/gravel and the soft road surface is easily plowed up along with the snow. The road crew has installed rubber scrapper blades on the snow plows, but these blades don't clear the snow as good as steel blades. Once the township roads are frozen the steel blades will be installed.
