The INDEPENDENT, January 18, 2012
Page 17
Columbia Co. Traffic Safety Commission gives winter driving tips
From page 11
er weather conditions, the drop
can be anywhere between 3° F
and 6° F per 1000 ft. gained.
So, if you travel into the hills,
you may very well encounter
ice or snow, so slow down.
7. Cold Air Sinks. Because
cold air is heavier than warm
air, it sinks to lower elevations.
Some areas, such as the
Chapman area on Scappoose-
Vernonia Road, are known as
cold-air sinks and such areas
may even be colder than areas
at higher elevations. Cold air
may sit in these areas for days,
allowing frost or ice to develop,
and making roads slick.
8. Bridges. Bridges have no
insulating material under them
(soil or rock), and because of
this lack of insulating material,
will frost or freeze faster than
main road surfaces. Slow down
when approaching and cross-
ing bridges in freezing weather.
9. De-icer. ODOT and Co-
lumbia County use a chemical
de-icer (magnesium chloride)
on some roads when the
weather conditions are right.
Once the road has been
sprayed with de-icer, it can re-
main effective for up to 5 days.
Be aware that rain will dilute
and wash the de-icer off the
road, so the timing of when to
apply it is critical. Also, de-icer
is effective only when the tem-
perature is within 15 degrees of
32° F. De-icer works great, but
don’t rely on it. The de-icer may
be old or diluted, or the temper-
ature may be too low for it to be
totally effective. So, when tem-
peratures are at or near freez-
ing, slow down.
10. Sanding Rock. ODOT
and the County use sanding
rock during certain weather
conditions to reduce slick and
icy conditions. Sanding rock is
what the County uses on most
of the County roads. It is not af-
fected by temperature or rain.
However, sand can end up on
the side of the road, instead of
on the driving surface.
11. Snow. Road crews work
very hard to keep our roads
clear of snow. However, during
large, long snow events, keep-
ing the roads free of snow and
ice may not be possible. The
Road Department prioritizes
roads that need to be cleared
for emergency purposes and
they typically start snow clear-
ing at the higher elevations,
where the problems can be the
greatest. As the priority roads
are opened and cleared, the
crews then begin working on
secondary roads. During snow,
use appropriate traction de-
vices on tires, slow down, and
travel when only necessary.
12. Ice. Remember, ice is
extremely slick when the tem-
perature is just a few degrees
above or below freezing. Drive
as described in #3. Metal studs
or chains/cables on vehicle
tires may help, but even they
cannot be counted on. When
the roads are iced over, travel
only when necessary.
13. Mud on the Road. Many
off road activities can cause
mud to be tracked onto a road’s
surface. If the moisture content
is just right, mud can be ex-
tremely slick, so slow down
when encountering mud.
14. Distracted Driving. One
last thing, using your cell phone
and/or sending a text message
is extremely dangerous in nor-
mal driving conditions, in addi-
tion to being illegal. Don’t do it.
If you need to make a phone
call or send a text message, be
safe, pull off the road if the call
or text message can’t wait until
you reach a safe place or your
destination.
The Columbia County Traffic
Safety Commission wishes all
Columbia County residents a
safe winter driving season.
Poster contest open to all in Col. Co.
The Blues Committee and
United Way of Columbia Coun-
ty would like to invite you to
participate in a contest to pro-
vide the art for the Fifth Annual
Blues Benefit Festival “Rhythm
on the River”.
The contest is open to all
Columbia County residents,
and is a benefit for United Way
of Columbia County.
• All entries must be original
art and suitable for a family ori-
ented event.
• All art must be a maximum
of 10” wide x 9” high, and be
signed and dated by the artist.
• Theme is “Rhythm on the
River” (6th annual), please in-
clude theme in art.
• Artists are encouraged to
include event title and location;
Rhythm on the River 6th Annu-
al Blues Benefit, Clatskanie
City Park, Saturday, July 28.
• Entries must be received
by March 23, by 1:00 p.m.
Send or deliver entries to:
United Way of Columbia Coun-
ty, Attention: Blues Festival Art,
P.O. Box 538, 305 W 3rd St.,
Rm 16, Rainier, OR 97048.
Please phone ahead if you are
dropping off, 503-556-3614.
• Original art may also be
sent in a high quality jpg format
suitable for reproduction, to
uwcc@hotmail.com with Blues
Poster Contest in the subject
line.
• Include contact information
when submitting work.
All entries become the prop-
erty of the Rhythm on the River
Blues Committee and United
Way. Entries will be used to
raise funds. All proceeds go to
United Way of Columbia Coun-
ty.
The Event Committee will
judge the entries and the entry
of the first place winner will be
displayed as the 6th annual
event poster. There will be a
$50 award for first place, $25
each for second and third
place.
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