Robert Marsili is the snow-response coordinator for the D.C. Department of Transportation. To prepare for Wednesday’s snow, the first of the season, he worked until 10 p.m. Tuesday and returned to duty six hours later. Crews began treating roads early Wednesday, before the snow started falling, and planned to work through the night to help this morning’s rush hour.

How stressful is your job during a storm?

The snow-removal business is basically preparation and planning. If you do not make the right calls, even a 1- or a 2-inch event will become a problem. [Tuesday] at midnight we came in and we deployed trucks to spray all the bridges and overpasses. It took them six hours. That was beneficial because the storm started earlier and the temperature was colder than [weather forecasters] thought. They will stay out all day.

What is the mixture that you use to treat roads?

This story continues below
Advertisement

The salt mixture is basically salt and water. We supplement that with a mixture of beet juice that has de-icing properties. The juice is going to stick to the roads better and get into the pores of the pavement and stay there longer, which reduces the chance of ice forming on the pavement.

How do city drivers react to snow?

People do not drive in the snow very often. They are not used to the vehicle possibly sliding on slick pavement. If you don’t experience that often, it is tough to control your vehicle. Some people may drive too slow and a lot of people might drive too fast. Sometimes people with SUVs or four-wheel-drive vehicles think they’re invincible on slick roads.

What do you do in the summer?

This is a year-round job. When it is warmer you are thinking about what kind of equipment do you need, what materials you want to use in the winter and working on plans so you are prepared when a storm hits.