City works to keep sidewalks safe during winter blasts

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- The roads are always slick when it snows, and for pedestrians, the sidewalks are just as slippery.

From the Riverwalk to sidewalks that run along main roads, the city of Mishawaka is responsible for clearing about eight miles of sidewalks during extreme weather storms.

Snow removal is far from a nine to five job.  Workers with the Mishawaka Streets Department say they work twenty four hours a day to clear the sidewalks.

Snow removers say during a storm, they cannot work fast enough; as soon as they clear a sidewalk, it is covered in snow again.

Alex Fisher, the operations manager with the Mishawaka Streets Department says, "It's a never ending thing really, until it's done snowing."

And even once its stops snowing, the city has twenty four hours to completely clear the walk ways. 

Now, when it comes to places of business, it is their responsibility to keep the sidewalks clear.

Some say that even with all of the snow removal, slipping seems inevitable.

"It can happen really fast, the main thing is distribute your weight and watch where you are walking, its kind of like driving - you never know when its going to be icy," said Mishawaka resident Eric Fair.

The slippery sidewalks can be especially dangerous for seniors and for kids running to the school bus stops.

"We have to keep them plowed out so the kids don't have to walk in the streets which is very dangerous," said Carol Myers, a concerned parent in the Mishawaka area.

Whether walkways are shoveled or not, in the winter, the more traction on the bottom of your shoes, the better. 

There are traction bands that you can buy at local sporting goods stores; you strap them on to the bottom of your shoes for added traction and they will help keep you and you family members safe while walking through the snow.