Barges with road salt for Philadelphia temporarily blocked by frozen Delaware River
A barge with 6,000 tons of salt is ultimately slated to head to Fairless Hills, which is currently “iced in."
In a bit of winter irony, two barges carrying 21,000 tons of salt reinforcements for Philadelphia couldn’t get through the frozen Delaware River, according to city officials.
At the Pelbano Recreation Center in Bustleton on Wednesday, Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams said the city had used more than 30,000 tons in January, which was highlighted by the 9.3 inches of snow and icy sleet on the 25th. The Arctic cold that followed has kept a whole lot of it in place.
The city still has 15,000 tons on reserve, but Williams said officials are watching salt levels closely and using judgment when dispersing what’s left. He said inspectors are being sent to sites where salting has been requested through 311 to determine whether treatment is warranted, and to ensure the city has enough salt until reinforcements arrive.
“We definitely need to make sure our salt levels are at a sufficient amount so that if we get another storm like this, we can be out there prepared to fight,” he said.
By Wednesday afternoon, a city spokesperson confirmed that a barge carrying 15,000 tons of salt was able to redirect and dock in Paulsboro, N.J. That load is slated to reach Philly by truck Thursday.
The fate of the second barge, with 6,000 tons, meant to go to Philadelphia, remains unclear.
The delivery is ultimately slated to head to Fairless Hills, which is currently “iced in,” according to Office of Emergency Management Director Dominick Mireles.
How long the barge has been stuck wasn’t immediately clear, but Mireles said the U.S. Coast Guard continues to perform ice-cutting operations on the river.
The city uses about 15,000 tons of salt for a significant winter storm, according to a city spokesperson. It tries to keep 45,000 tons on hand.
City officials noted the frozen sections of the river offer a reminder of how the elements have not done plows and snow cleanup crews any favors in breaking up what have now become dirty, hardened, sometimes rock-solid chunks of ice across the city.
» READ MORE: Philly’s unplowed snow has slowed SEPTA and frustrated residents and businesses
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, like those in other East Coast cities, has received no shortage of criticism for inaccessible crosswalks and SEPTA bus stations that remained icy days after the biggest snowstorm in a decade.
In the snow cleanup update at Pelbano, Parker assured the public that the city was working nonstop to help it return to normal.
Still, she said, as seen with the frozen barge, that work isn’t always in the spotlight.
As for the salt, Parker said the administration is “investigating alternate methods of resupply” as they wait.
Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect updated information from the city.