CHARLESTON — Maybe it’s The Perfect Plan for The Perfect Storm.

Only time can tell, but the West Virginia Turnpike is bracing for an honest test of its improved emergency plan with this weekend’s predicted snow.

“A lot is being done, and it’s being done quickly,” manager Greg Barr assured the West Virginia Parkways Authority in Thursday’s meeting.

Lessons learned from the painful experience of Dec. 18-19, when more than 2 feet of snow blanketed southern counties, have led to some major changes.

For one thing, wrecker companies will have tow trucks pre-positioned so that every mile of the 88-mile highway is covered.

Towing firms have promised to be stationed at key exits and ramps, he said.

In the December storm, a major snafu developed when jackknifing tractor-trailers couldn’t be hauled away before chain-reaction accidents began to occur.

“Getting them pre-positioned before a storm is a critical element,” Barr said.

Any time a snowstorm is predicted to coat the landscape with at least half a foot, the turnpike will trigger its emergency plan, Barr said.

As of Thursday evening, between 6 and 12 inches of snow were predicted for the Beckley area.

Barr said the plan calls for reallocating its four-wheel-drive pickups for snow-fighting efforts, consistent with the Division of Highways’ policy of letting maintenance hands drive state-owned vehicles home to be close to a crisis site.

When severe weather is forecast, the plan will be coordinated from the Beckley maintenance facility, Barr said.

Extra supplies, such as tire chains, straps and four-wheel drive vehicles will be pressed into service to pull cars stalled in ditches.

“We can’t move tractor-trailers, but we can get the cars taken care of,” he said.

Aiding in the snow-plowing efforts will be four heavy equipment tandem dump trucks, although they won’t be capable of spreading salt.

A motor grader has been rented from the DOH for the duration of this winter, Barr pointed out.

Four emergency gates are being installed on the north end so traffic can return in the opposite direction if a major tie-up develops.

In addition, the turnpike is working with an engineering consultant to ultimately install electronic gates to be placed at strategic exits and entrance ramps.

Inside the communications center, Barr noted, two clear telephone lines have been added.

In the December storm that left hundreds trapped on the turnpike, communications posed a difficulty.

“Our lines were full with people calling,” Barr said.

“We had six lines and they were busy constantly. With the radio communications problems we had, it was hard for anybody, any emergency agency, to dial in. Now we’ve got two clear lines dedicated to homeland security, emergency management and the traffic management center.”

Crossovers on the southern end are being examined to make sure they’re capable of turning traffic around in a crisis, Barr said.

December’s storm has led to a new policy of twice-a-week weather briefings, with input from officials in Charleston, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Va., and Sterling, Va.

A pre-event conference irons out all the details, such as the availability of salt and whether all equipment is in working order, Barr said.

The interoperable radio system has been tested to assure that all channels are open to emergency responders. Interoperable radio units have been assigned to state troopers, and within two months, mobile radios will be installed.

What’s more, mindful of the power outage that handcuffed efforts in December, an emergency generator backup is now in place.

The Department of Transportation is eyeing the replacement of variable message boards with “more modern dynamic message signs” such as those used in other states, Barr said.

Moreover, in a move to keep closer tabs on any flare-ups, the DOT will install 17 or 18 closed circuit televisions at critical intersections.

“So, they’ll have eyes on the road,” Barr said.

“If they would see traffic backed up for some reason, they could immediately check on that. All that will help provide quicker response to future emergencies.”

A long-range plan will consider a solution to the “dead spots” where cell phone coverage disappears.

“Dead areas are mostly to the north end because of mountains and valleys,” Barr said afterward.

For now, he told reporters, talks are in progress with Verizon about a possible tower at the Morton travel plaza area.

“We have run into companies that don’t want to invest money in a tower if there’s no return from customers, by selling phones and service,” he added.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com