Parts of New York are expected to see snow this weekend, which means preparations to keep roads clear and safe are underway.

The state Department of Transportation applied about 714,000 tons of salt to roadways across the state last winter. That involves moving parts around the world.

There was a flurry of activity at the Port of Coeymans, where up to 1 million tons of road salt is received via the Hudson River every year.

“We bring it in from multiple countries,” said Josh Kowalski, vice president of sales and business development at the port. “Turkey, Egypt, Spain. We’ve had some from Italy.”

The salt is stored in a number of large salt barns, some of which offer 250,000 square feet of space. DOT and plow crews use it in municipalities across the state.

“It’s find the need and satisfy that need,” Kowalski said.

The salt finds its way into state DOT trucks and municipalities across the state.

“Whether it’s New York state, the Capital Region, Southern Vermont or Massachusetts,” Kowalski said.

So as parts of the state prepare for a healthy dose of winter this weekend, workers like Doug Tice are behind the wheel, ensuring it all gets to where it needs to go.

“Rough 'guesstimate' for me, I would say around 200 ton,” he said about how much salt he hauls every year.

Tice is one of the people whose work helps keep roads safe and clear throughout the winter.

“I’ve been doing it 35 years now, and it’s an everyday thing for me,” he said. “I really enjoy it.”