With winter weather this week, the Michigan Department of Transportation has been active 24 hours a day.
MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells us the agency has about 85 plows throughout Southwest Michigan. However, they can’t be everywhere all at once.
“In weather like this, we try to plow everything we can nonstop,” Schirripa said. “So when snow is falling, our plows are running nonstop. Certainly routes like I-69, I-94, US-31, they may see, in some of those routes, they may get doubled up and have two or three plows, depending on what the snowfall is.”
Schirripa says in temperatures as cold as Tuesday’s, MDOT can only use blades to scrape the roads clear because salt won’t work. I-94 was noticeably clearer than side roads Tuesday.
“That really is a constant battle, and the fact that you’re seeing any degree of clear pavement in this kind of weather really is a testament to the ability and the dedication of our winter maintenance staff. They really are the unsung heroes, the rock stars of the story.”
Schirripa says when the snow is coming down, it can be tough, if not impossible, for MDOT to keep all of its roads clear. That’s why a period of cleanup always follows snowfall.
Schirripa asks drivers to remember to give plows plenty of space — state law says 200 feet is required. In fact, Schirripa says a few hundred feet behind a plow is probably the safest place to be when you’re driving in heavy snowfall.
