Planning in Advance and Meticulously Deploying for Ensuring Safe Operation in Rainy and Snowy Weather
Under the effects of strong cold air and southeast warm moist air flow, the first round of large scale heavy rain and snow in 2018 began in northern China from the night of January 2. Our Weixu, Suiyuenan, Hanxiao and Changzhu projects have been affected. Facing the severe weather, each project company made advance planning and meticulous deployment and thus ensuring the safe operation of the road sections under each project in the bad weather.
First, planning in advance and carrying out anti-freezing and anti-skidding emergency drills. In order to ensure good anti–freezing and anti-skidding work in 2017-2018, and to cope with low temperature, rain and snow and freezing bad weather efficiently and orderly, each project company began to carry out anti-freezing and anti-skidding emergency drills successively from the middle of December 2017. In addition, emergency commandos consisting of each department, toll station, daily maintenance unit, road administration, traffic police and rescue unit have been formed. They are always prepared for coping with upcoming rain and snow weather.
Anti – freezing and anti- skidding emergency drill on Changzhu Expressway
Second, being ready in taking actions and in good preparation for providing sufficient supplies to ensure unimpeded roads. Each project company checked the anti–freezing and anti-skidding supplies of all the toll stations, service areas and maintenance stations and made necessary supplements. As for Weixu project, 100 tons of industrial salt, 100 cubic meters of sand and gravel, 1000 woven bags and 500 antiskid grass pads have been reserved. For Suiyuenan project, 100 tons of snow-melting agent and 4,350 antiskid grass pads have been reserved. For Hanxiao project, 30 tons of snow-melting agent and 800 grass bags have been reserved. For Changzhu project, 19 tons of snow-melting agent, 16 tons of industrial salt and 3,000 woven bags have been reserved.
Third, making quick response and broadcasting road condition information in real time. First, the joint inspection team consisting of Maintenance Engineering Department and Road Property Department inspected the roads comprehensively and handled and reported to the on-duty leaders immediately when finding any problems. Then the monitoring center reported and communicated the relevant information and issued reminding messages in time during the severe weather according to the requirements of “effective conveying, timely communication and accurate feedback”. Each project company asked each toll station and service area to report to the monitoring center about weather information from the date when receiving the early warning of severe weather issued by the relevant meteorological bureau. The monitoring center issued road condition information in real time to the corporate leaders, expressway traffic polices of the corresponding road sections and the road administration after collecting and confirming the information for the convenience of the relevant personnel to know weather changes in the areas of the corresponding sections and implement preplans immediately as well as gave such safety warnings as “for icy roads, please drive carefully” and “for snowy weather, please drive slowly” by ways of information boards and WeChat Official Account.
Immediate safety warnings given by Suiyuenan Expressway
Fourth, meticulous deployment for coping with bad weather leisurely. According to the principles of “prevention before snow, action during snow, removing while snowing and ensuring unimpeded roads after snow”, each project company put road cones on both sides of the super-large bridges that are easy to freeze to narrow the lanes to cause drivers to reduce speed before low temperature and snow and immediately spread snow-melting agent on major bridges, up and down bridge sections, large longitudinal slopes and corners to prevent freezing after snow. In addition, as the snow got thick, they used mechanical shovels to clear away snow in good time to ensure unimpeded roads after snow.
Snow melting and shoveling on Weixu Expressway
The Yuexiu Transport working personnel still stay in their posts in such a sleet weather in order to melt snow and remove ice on the roads immediately to ensure safe and unblocked roads. They are always ready day and night to deal with severe weather emergencies under multi-lateral cooperation to provide security and protection for the drivers and passengers on the move.