BOISE, Idaho — When snow starts falling, Ada County Highway District plow crews don’t just react—they’re already in position.
With up to 40 snowplows on the road during a storm, their mission is to keep traffic moving while ensuring emergency responders, delivery trucks, and commuters can reach their destinations.
"Our priority is always the hospitals, schools, the hills, all of our mains, and also the fire departments and police departments," said Marco Castilleja with ACHD.
Each plow carries 14 tons of a salt and sand mix, along with 800 gallons of magnesium chloride. Fully loaded, a plow weighs nearly 49,000 pounds. Crews work 12-hour shifts—midnight to noon and noon to midnight—providing 24-hour coverage across Ada County.
Marco and I spent three hours treating roads in the neighborhoods of Garden City and West Boise.
For Marco, it’s more than just a paycheck. “I really enjoy working here at ACHD. It’s fun. It’s a great job,” he said.
Every day brings something new. “It’s one of my favorite jobs. There’s such variety here. We do everything from fixing roads to maintaining roads to plowing,” Marco added.
But one thing never changes: his message for drivers when the snow starts falling.
“The main thing is to slow down. That’s the one thing. If everybody would just slow down, we’re all going to get there. Just slowing down will save us a lot of headaches,” he said.
