GODFREY - Several social media users complimented the rapid response time of the Godfrey Street Department on the Riverbender.com Facebook page following last weekend's winter weather nightmare.
While Godfrey may not have the treacherous hills and rugged brick streets of Alton, Godfrey Street Department Director of Maintenance Jim Lewis said the village was able to have the streets for which it is responsible properly cleaned by last Friday night. Many of the main thoroughfares in the village, such as West Delmar and Godfrey Road, are the responsibility of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and others, such as Humbert, are the responsibility of Madison County to maintain.
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Neighboring Alton had as many as 81 vehicular incidents.
Lewis said he began worrying about the weather when he saw a fine mist begin developing Friday morning after 11. He said he started calling his crew after that, and was able to send four men to clean the streets as early as 12:30 p.m. Friday. He said he told them to salt the entire town.
"I told them to keep going after they were done," he said. "They had salted the whole town before it got bad. They worked until 9:30 Friday night. They did an awesome job."
Hills, main thoroughfares and intersections were treated first, Lewis said. Subdivisions were treated last. He said he prefers to practice an abundance of caution when dangerous winter weather could be an issue. He said Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick shares his stance.
"The mayor and I have discussed it many times," he said. "He told me, 'if you think it's coming, go ahead and salt.'"
Drivers for the street department worked as long as 12 hours Saturday to contain the second wave of winter weather. Lewis said extra attention was given to Clifton Terrace, because it is such a main thoroughfare and if it got icy, it would be dangerous.
"We have two drivers who hit it constantly," he said.
The once-extravagant price of road salt seen two years ago has decreased dramatically, Lewis said. He said the price dropped from $92 a ton to $54 a ton. He said the price of salt does not determine whether or not his trucks treat the roads. He said public safety was the singular determining factor for that.
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