The State Department of Transportation is plowing ahead with preparations for winter. Spokeswoman Sandy Hentges says the department gears up its plow-trucks, piles up its sand and salt, and pads its staff with seasonal and on-call workers beginning as early as late fall. She adds that keeping roads clear for motorists throughout the icy season gets pricy. The department spends 27 to 30 million dollars to keep roads clear, even if it is a fairly mild winter.