Marion County

With forecasts including the possibility of snow and icy conditions tonight through Wednesday, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) will activate 65 Snow Force drivers beginning this evening to pre-treat roadways. Forecasts include the chance of some snow accumulation regularly expected until Wednesday, and Snow Force leadership will continue to monitor changing weather patterns to adapt the response as necessary.

Over the weekend, Indianapolis saw its first snow of the season. Indy Snow Force drivers have been preparing since early October for this winter weather season with classroom and hands-on training as well as equipment preparation.

Beginning at 11 P.M. this evening, Indy Snow Force will have 65 trucks and more than 100 team members working 12-hour shifts to address the roadways. The Indy Snow Force Viewer Map will be live at this time as well. This map will show where roads along standard routes have been recently plowed or treated with salt.

Motorists are urged to drive with care during wintry conditions, especially on bridge overpasses or locations known to get slippery. Remember to leave home with plenty of time to safely reach your destination, and allow plenty of clearance near other vehicles. DPW also asks motorists to keep these tips in mind when sharing the road with snow trucks.

• Look out for flashing amber lights. These lights alert drivers from far away of plow trucks on the road.
• Give plow trucks plenty of room to treat the roads. Plow trucks release road salt from the back of the truck, and following too closely could result in salt hitting your vehicle.
• Stay at least three car lengths away from plows. Snow clouds thrown by plows can reduce visibility greatly, hiding other vehicles or road hazards.

Residents can stay up to date on Indy Snow Force efforts during winter weather events online at indy.gov/dpw and on Twitter by following @IndySnowForce.

With forecasts calling for several inches of sleet or snow beginning to accumulate Wednesday overnight and throughout Thursday, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) will activate a full call-out of Snow Force crews Wednesday afternoon to treat thoroughfares and secondary streets against icy conditions.

Indy DPW anticipates that crews will work multiple 12-hour shifts, treating streets with de-icing “salt” material or plowing accumulation, and remaining on the roadways through at least Friday afternoon.

WINTRY CONDITION DRIVING TIPS

Motorists are urged to drive with care during wintry conditions, especially on bridge overpasses or locations known to get slippery. Remember to leave plenty of time to safely reach your destination, allow plenty of clearance near other vehicles, and keep at least three car lengths between your vehicle and Snow Force trucks.

DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND TRAFFIC LIGHT ISSUES

Snowy and icy conditions may also lead to downed tree limbs or issues with traffic signals. If a roadway is impassable due to downed tree limbs, or if a traffic signal is malfunctioning, residents should contact the Mayor’s Action at 317-327-4622. Calls to the Mayor’s Action Center after normal business hours can be directed to DPW Dispatch by selecting option ‘2’.

INDY SNOW FORCE

Follow @IndySnowForce on Twitter for regular updates on snow fight activity during winter weather events. The Indy Snow Force Viewer is a tool for Indy residents to monitor where trucks have been during a major winter weather event, showing where roads have been plowed or treated with salt.