The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and area municipalities were all in storm preparation mode today, as they scrambled for salt to treat the roads.

Ron Young, district press officer for PennDOT, explained that District 5, which covers Carbon, Schuylkill, Monroe, Northampton, Lehigh and Berks counties, has 20,000 tons of salt supply remaining for the winter. Locally, there are 3,125 tons in Carbon; 1,892 tons in Monroe, and 5,931 tons in Schuylkill left.On average PennDOT uses between 2,000 and 3,000 tons per storm, depending if there is more snow or ice.He added that so far this winter, PennDOT crews have used 98,000 tons of salt in District 5. This surpasses last year's usage total for winter of 90,440 tons.Nicole Beckett, Lehighton borough manager, said the borough workers are making every effort to be prepared for Thursday's projected storm.She said the borough has enough salt in stock for adequate road maintenance."Our guys are prepared to be out," she said, noting plowing and other measures will be taken as soon as needed.Today, borough workers were removing snow from snow emergency routes and narrow streets. Snow from previous storms hasn't melted as a result of the bitter cold temperatures we've endured.Beckett said she spoke with Mayor Thomas Mase and reviewed the snow emergency routes in case a snow emergency needs to be declared.Regardless, she said priority is give to snow emergency routes."We are prepared," she stressed.Mike Grant, president of Parryville Council, said that for the past two years, Parryville has stocked salt."We never stocked salt before we had the salt shed and now we can," added Grant. "We have plenty on hand and more on order. We'll be fine."Low on suppliesPalmerton Borough Manager Rodger Danielson said the borough cannot get any more salt."We have used up our allotment," Danielson said. "Fortunately, we do have a supply in, but we are not able to get more."Lower Towamensing Township secretary Christine Wentz said the township is faring well with its supply."We're still in good shape just because we still have a stockpile from last year," Wentz said. "It continued to help us carry over to this year."The salt/cinder issue is "not good" in Polk Township.Monroe County Emergency Center asked how much salt/cinders all the townships have, trying to organize all the townships to see who could share salts. Polk reported "zero."Polk made numerous phone calls to its salt supplier, International Salts in Morrisville. This morning, International Salts told Polk it was planning to deliver 25 tons of salt today.Polk has filed a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency request form for salt, hoping to get on the top of the list for salt and was told the request is pending.The state and PennDOT are working to help local municipalities, townships, and boroughs in dire need of salt.According to the Polk Township office, Ahner said that he will only be able to put anti-skid on curves, hills and dangerous areas. On the flats, no anti-skid will be put down.The township has 66 miles to cover. If the roadmaster gets a call from the Emergency Call Center that an ambulance must get to a certain location, the township will immediately respond to that call and make sure the road is accessible for an ambulance, Ahner said.David Albright, the Chestnuthill Township manager, says that the salt/cinder supplies are holding out."We got a delivery today so we have between 300-400 tons of salt," he says.Chestnuthill is willing to give some aid to Polk Township, if needed.Albright spoke to the Chestnuthill Township's roadmaster, Merton Whitney, about the predicted storm for Thursday, and he say "We're ready to go."The salt situation in Eldred Township is bad, says Supervisor/secretary Sharon Solt."We only have 25 tons. We called International Salts two weeks ago but they haven't brought it yet. We have a request in for 60 tons. Our Roadmaster Keith Kuehner is calling today to see if they could bring it today," she says.Solt says the township uses about 30 tons in an average snowstorm."It depends on how long it is and how bad it is. Our plan of action for the predicted storm tomorrow is to keep plowing and not put down a lot of salt and cinders because we'd just be plowing it off the next time we go," she says.Stay putHer advice to drivers is, "If you don't have to be out on the road, stay put."Salt supplies in Nesquehoning are getting low, noted Roni Sue Ahner, secretary."We have two or three places on order," said Ahner. "We haven't gotten any. We'll have to find another means because we're on short supply."In Lansford, Jill Seigendall, assistant secretary/ treasurer, said that Lansford has a good supply on hand.Franklin TownshipFranklin Township's supplies are getting low, said Brenda Neeb, secretary."We're used up quite a bit of salt on the last three storms," said Neeb. "We should have enough for this storm, but are supplies are low."Louise McClafferty, secretary for Jim Thorpe Borough, said that Jim Thorpe has enough salt. "We're doing OK. We do have to get more delivered."She noted that during the impending storm, Jim Thorpe will be enforcing the "odd and even calendar day no parking" rules. She said that all vehicles should be moved for the next day's plowing between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.No snow is to be thrown back into the streets. Any car not moved will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.Amy Miller, Ron Gower, Terry Ahner, Linda Koehler and Gail Maholick all contributed to this report.