Coronavirus Hits CT DOT Hard Ahead Of Major Snowstorm

CONNECTICUT — The state Department of Transportation will be relying on plow contractors more than ever due to a wave of coronavirus infections in the department.

“Unfortunately we’ve been hit very hard, with Covid, we have over a hundred employees who tested positive, I have almost double that number that are waiting for tests,” DOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said.

Using contractors for major snowstorms is routine, but they will make up a greater percentage of the plows clearing state roads and highways for this storm.

There will be more than 1,300 plow operators and supervisors, 634 state plows and 18 industrial loaders working the storm, Giulietti said. The current forecast calls for 12 to 18 inches of snow and the snow removal operation will be constant to keep up.

The DOT will be trialing new GPS-enabled technology on state plows for this storm Giulietti said. The new system will feed location and road condition data to the DOT, which will allow the department to use its resources more efficiently to clear roads.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s message to state residence echoed his coronavirus advice.

“I feel like I have some messages, I repeat them depending on what the event is, but they’re often the same,” he said. “One is stay safe, stay home.”

Lamont encouraged those who can telework to do so Wednesday night into Thursday until the roads are cleared.

Connecticut’s highway traffic has rebounded and is near pre-pandemic levels, Giulietti said. What hasn’t rebounded is train passenger traffic, which is down nearly 90 percent.

The majority of Connecticut’s weekly shipment of coronavirus vaccines is scheduled to arrive by the end of Wednesday, Lamont said. He didn’t anticipate any shipping delays for the vaccine, but whether health care workers get vaccinated Thursday or Friday is up in the air at this point.

The state will also be relying on a virtual emergency operations center to coordinate the storm response. The EOC has run virtually throughout the pandemic.

Thursday would normally be a sure bet for a snow day across the state for students, but it looks like Thursday will be the beginning of the end of that tradition thanks to the vast increase in remote learning this year.

“Sorry kids, in the old days used to have a snow day coming up, but now it will be a virtual learning day,” Lamont said