MDOT ready for the February snowfall

It was a cold and slick start to the Tuesday morning commute. The slippery and wet roads led to several slide offs to start the day.

The Michigan Department of transportation has about 150-160 plow operators across the Southwest Region among all of their garages and shifts.

In total, there are about 80-85 plows as well which cover 3,300 miles of roadway in the region.

It has been a mild winter overall, but MDOT said they were ready to go whenever the snow started to accumulate.

“Mostly it’s been about keeping the plows fueled, loaded with salt and ready to go when the snow starts to fly,” said Nick Schirripa, MDOT Southwest Region Representative.

With the below average snowfall, it has given crews a chance to rest up for the winter weather.

“We’re ready, it’s winter. This one has been very mild and been pretty good to us. I think all of our operators are well-rested and ready to go,” Schirripa added.

He added that drivers need to be cautious when driving in bad weather conditions.

“We can only do so much and I think that it’s incumbent on folks to remember to drive appropriate speeds. Help our plow operators as much as possible by being responsible and taking your time out on the roads.”