Road crews say keep an eye on driving conditions as you celebrate this weekend

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. — The Berrien County Road Department has the trucks and salt ready for the first real wave of winter conditions this year, and there may be some times this weekend you need to give extra thought to getting in the car. 

“It’s been a nice start to our winter for the crew I’ll say, this Tuesday we went out for the first time as a full fleet,” said Kevin Stack, Interim Director at the Berrien County Health Department. 

There’s no way to be sure when we’ll get that first big snowfall each winter, but we know it’s inevitable.

This week, it’s coming just ahead of New Year celebrations.

“They’ll be able to check their trucks and be on the road in a hurry with the preparations that were done today,” said Stack.

Remember, the crews you count on to keep the roads clear aren’t immune to staffing shortages and supply disruptions.

“We don’t wanna bring 55 plow drivers together and risk having a COVID outbreak before our first winter storm, then have only a dozen plows over 1,500 miles of roadway, so we have four man garages to help keep gatherings down,” said Stack. “We’ve had our material on hand for the past six months.” 

For those celebrating this weekend, the road department just asks you avoid those middle of the night drives as that’ll be the time they’re getting roads safe.

“We’ll call our day shift back in early to get back out before the drivers to get roads cleared,” said Stack. 

The Berrien County Road Department did have one request for private plowers to not push snow across the street, keep it on your side, because it makes for a dangerous bump when the county trucks come in.