Michigan road crews continue to clear the snow after first major lake effect snow storm

 

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mi. -- Lake effect snow has been hitting Michigan hard-- closing roads and businesses-- and crews from the Berrien County Road Department, the Cass County Road Commission, and MDOT have been working around the clock to keep the roads clear.

“We started at 5:00am, and we’re just finishing up covering our routes one time, which is great,” said Robert Thompson, a manager with the Cass County Road Commission. 

Crews have been scraping the snow off the roads, as well as salting and sanding them, but it's going to be some time before the roads are completely plowed for travel. Areas like Watervliet and Eau Claire, in northern Berrien County, received between sixteen and twenty-four inches of snow, and crews are still working to clear the roads. 

“We’ll be back in tonight and tomorrow to address the rest of the north county,” said Kevin Stack, the interim director of the Berrien County Road Department. 

MDOT spokesman Nick Schirripa told ABC57 that it could take even more time before interstate roads like I-94 and US 31 are fully cleared, as some patches of road have become icy and slick. 

"We still have some work to do," said Schirripa. "We still have some snow to clear off roads and that work is going to continue for the next day or two, maybe even three until we can really get it down to dry pavement.”

But one thing is certain, the crews are dedicated to making the roads as safe as possible for the people who do have to travel during the first major snowfall of 2022. 

"Our guys have always taken pride in clearing the roads and doing the best they can," said Stack. 

Schirripa added “It’s an intense job. It is grinding, it is exhausting work and they do it year in and year out, often thanklessly, unfortunately. But they are absolute rock stars. I think they are superheroes and they don’t get enough credit.”

Even though the crews from the different departments are still sanding and salting the roads, as the snow melts, they could still be slushy and slick, so drivers should still be extra cautious if they need to drive any time soon.