Chains/No Chains: Who decides?

Electronic signs and a new information number keep motorists informed of road conditions. photo by Jim Cornelius

The order for which traction devices are required to get over the Santiam Pass out of Sisters starts from on high. Literally.

One of the dozen or so members of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) maintenance crew who work out of the Santiam Station on top of the pass can start the process.

ODOT personnel will observe cars or trucks sliding or spinning on the snow or icy road surface and telephone directly from their snowplow, sander or snow blower to the ODOT headquarters in Bend. Generally the senior member of the crew makes the phone call.

"We get the call about on-going accidents and the types of vehicles in trouble as well as the visibility and general road conditions," said Dave Neys, ODOT maintenance manager. "We then make the decision to put up the 'Chains Required' sign or not."

The large sign near the "Y" on the western edge of Sisters on Highway 20 is controlled by direct telephone connection from ODOT headquarters in Bend. There are five possible messages and any of the five can be ordered by Neys or one of the other supervisors if he is not present.

"There are four such signs in the state," he said, "controlled by us via telephone or in Salem by another district supervisor. All of the white signs with black letter are manually changed, which takes time and delays traffic flow."

One of the innovations Neys and others in the road service are working on is a method of changing the black and white signs automatically without the major expense of going to the illuminated, yellow on black sign boards similar to the one at the west end of Sisters.

"One of our ideas is to invent or create a drum like apparatus that will have innumerable sides which we can rotate remotely to show the side or sign we want ordered.

"This is still a way off, but we are working on it," Neys said.

ODOT does not have policing power to issue tickets, "although we can pull someone over if they are in violation and wait for the state troopers to arrive," Neys said.

"When we put out the word that chains are required, for example, it is automatically picked up by the state police and other agencies who do have the power to arrest violators."

According to Neys, ODOT is working on improving technology to handle winter conditions.

"At the top of our priority list," he said, "is to have the entire system work via telemetry.

"We hope to have sensors in all of our trucks and plows that will read road conditions, temperature and other variables and automatically radio that information to our headquarters on a continuing basis."

ODOT can then immediately assess the situation and telephonically send out changes to all signs in the area to respond to new conditions. That information will also be instantly put on ODOT's web site.

The use of highway cameras, now available throughout the state, was started here by Neys in 1994. The Santiam Pass was the first in use. Now camera shots are available online at ODOT's web site for all locations within the state.

A new direct-line road information telephone number went into effect on December 12. The new 5-1-1 accesses the same information provided on the older, still-active 1-800-977-6368 (see story on page 30).

Information on highway conditions and current weather throughout the state as well as travel advisories and weather forecasts can be obtained on ODOT's web site: www.tripcheck.com.