Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 21, 1995                   TAG: 9511210110
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

VDOT SAYS IT'S READY FOR SNOW

VDOT said Monday it has $43.5 million budgeted for snow removal this winter. That's $2.3 million more than was available in 1994-95, and $3.2 million more than it used last winter.

Included in VDOT's start-up arsenal this year is 250,000 tons of road salt, 200,000 tons of abrasives and other chemicals, and 80,000 gallons of calcium chloride.

To operate the machinery, VDOT said it has 3,800 employees, almost one for each of its approximately 3,500 pieces of snow-removal equipment.

The department also can use private contractors if necessary.

- Associated Press