STOGUIDE pages 68-73:Layout 1 10/30/07 8:58 PM Page 73
Townhighwayemployeeswilldumpsandorsaltontheroads
whensnowisn’tpilinguptoofast;and,whenthesun’sout,
they’llsometimesletnaturemeltareasofpavedroadbeforethey
comeroaringthrough.
WeturnontothedirtHoustonFarmRoad.Foster,handsteady
ononeofthelevers,adjuststheplow.Therearesixmainlevers
insidetheplow;threeoperatethetruck’swing.
Onasingleroad,thesnowconsistencycanrangefromwetand
slushytohardandpacked.“Ilettheplowdownuntilyoucanfeel
it,”hesays.“IfIseeaspotthatlookswetImightraiseitupa
littlemore.”
Downtheroad,aprivateplowapproachesfromtheopposite
direction.“Thisistheguywhogotstuck,”Fostersays,pausing,
andthenrollsdownhiswindow.“No,itisn’t,”hecorrectshim-
self.It’sScottChafey,whoworksfortheSundownCorp.in
Waterbury.
“Hey,Ithoughtyoutoldmeitwasalldonesnowingforthe
year!”Chafeyyells.
“I’mreadyforspring,”Fosterreplies.
“How’reyourroads?”
Keepingsnowincheck
“They’regettingprettyhardrightnow.”
SteveBonneau,superintendentoftheStoweHighwayDepartment
Road warrior
(picturedabove),keepshisownrecordofalltimesthathishighway
“Idon’tmindhaulingsnow;freezingrainIhate,”saysFoster,
workersplow,saltorsandtheroads.Sometimesthere’sjustasmall
whointhesummerworksasaroadgraderandexcavatorforthe
trace of snow that only requires a little sand; during a major snow-
townhighwaydepartment.“Mosteveryonethatdoesthisjobwill
fall,it’sallhandsondeck.Here’sBonneau’s2006-2007listing—as
saythesamething.
ofMarch9—showingwhenStowereceivedatleast1inchofsnow,
“Peopledon’trealizethejobcanbequitestressful,”Foster
and whether the town’s highway crews applied salt, sand or both
says,especiallyduringsevereweathersuchastheValentine’sDay to keep the roads clear.
storm.“Ifoundittobeprettystressful.Overtimeisnice,butit
wearsonyouafterawhile.”Duringthatstormtwoplowtrucks
brokedownsoothershadto“pickuptheslack.”
DATE SNOWFALL APPLICATION
AsFosterdescribesthelifeofaplowdriver,weturnacorner
Oct. 19 3” sand
ontoWeeksHillRoad.“Whenwe’reworkingalotyougot12-to
Dec. 4 2” salt & sand
16-hourdays.Duringthebigstormwewereworkingover20- Dec. 5 1” salt & sand
hourshifts.Mostofthetimeitdoesn’tbotherme;Idon’tget Dec. 6 2” salt & sand
thattired.” Dec. 30 7” salt & sand
Foster’spreferredwayofstayingawakeandalertforthose Jan. 19 3” sand
long,gruelingshifts?Coffee.Lotsofcoffee.“Iusuallydrinkcof- Jan. 20 7” sand
feebythegallonandlistentotheradio.Inaday,I’dsayIdrink Jan. 24 2” salt & sand
atleastfiveorsix16-ouncecups.”Hepauses.“Mydocwouldsay
Jan. 28 2” sand
that’sdefinitelytoomuch.Icanworkonthat.”
Jan. 31 2” salt & sand
Helps,too,tostopthetruckonceinawhileandgetouttostretch.
Feb. 2 2” salt
AsweturnontoPercyHill,andthenontoWestHillRoad,
Feb. 3 8” salt & sand
Fosterrecallsthesteeplearningcurvewhenfirstonthejob.But
Feb. 8 4” sand
it’sbeensolongnow,he’sanexpertandknowsallthespotsto
Feb. 10 2” salt & sand
watchoutfor—wheresnowmeltsfastandwhereitgetsslick.
Feb. 12 1” salt & sand
“WestHillhasbeenroughallwinter,”Fostersays.“Idon’tknow
Feb. 15 36” sand
why.There’sstillfrostcomingoutoftheroads.”
Feb. 19 1” salt & sand
AtthebottomofWestHillRoad,Fosterstopstheplowwhere
Feb. 23 1” salt & sand
theroadsurfaceiscompletelyclear.Hejumpsouttoremovethe
March 2 10” salt & sand
steelchainscoveringhistires.Thechainshelppreventtheplow
March 3 3” salt and sand
fromspinningtoomuch.“Idon’tneed‘emnow;Ihatetorun
themonbareblacktop.”
March 4 8” salt & sand
Whenthat’sdone,FosterhopsbackinandpullsoutontoRoute
March 5 3” salt and sand
100,headingsouthtowardStowevillage.Oneofthetoughest
Total 110”
partsofthejobisdealingwithcommutertraffic,hesays.That’s
becomemoreaheadacheduringthelastthreedecadesasStowe’s
residentialandvisitorpopulationhasgrownbyleapsandbounds.
Manydrivers—particularlyout-of-staters—don’tthinktogive
plowtrucksspaceenoughtodotheirjobormaketightturns
throughintersections.
“WhenIstartedheretherewasnowhereneartheamountof
traffic.Peopleintrafficdostupidstuff.MostofthetimeIgot
patienceenough.ButwhenIgettiredmypatiencewearsthin.”
Evenso,complaintsarefew,andFostermostlyhascivil
interactionswithpeoplewhileplowing.“Ifyoutreat‘emdecent
youcan’targuethetaxpayer,”Fosterconcedes,chuckling.
“They’retheonespayingmywages.It’snotmyjobtoargue
withanybody.” a73
73
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