Sunday, January 31, 2010

TOP STORY >> Sand truck put to work in Cabot as roads ice up

By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer

At 9 a.m. Friday, with the streets covered with sleet and snow, Cabot Mayor Eddie Joe Williams said the sand truck he bought in 2009 had already done its job for the day.

“We’ve been rolling since early this morning with the sand truck,” Williams said. “We’ve not had a wreck this morning and I attribute that to these guys working instead of us waiting for the state to help.”

The dump truck fitted with a spreader for sand and salt came from Iowa, but the mayor said it had been well-maintained and at about $6,000 it was a bargain for the city.

The sand, stockpiled at the city garage in concrete bins built last year for that purpose, was spread on Hwy. 321, Hwy. 367 and on railroad crossings.

The state takes care of overpasses on major roads, but Williams said less traveled streets are low on the state’s list of priorities.

Workers were out early, while the sleet was still falling. The sand imbeds in the ice but remains effective, the mayor said.