TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Periods of snow combined with winds could mean terrible visibility and possible white-out conditions. It could also mean slick, treacherous roads.
To keep people moving, crews from the state, county, or city will be out maintaining roads as best they can, but with fast moving weather conditions, there’s no guarantee roads will be kept free of hazards as the storm rages on.
- The Twin Falls Highway District maintains 1,600 lane-miles of roadway with 10 plow trucks
- Idaho Transportation Department encourages travelers to be prepared for anything during winter weather, and to remember to give plows plenty of room to operate
- Crews monitor weather forecasts around the clock and can spring into action at all hours of day or night to keep roads clear.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Kenny Spencer has been with the Twin Falls Highway District for 30 years. I asked him if he still got excited when it snowed.
"20 years ago it was a lot of fun but now it's just kind of a pain in the butt," Kenny said.
When weather is in the forecast like it is this week, Kenny and the Road Supervisor are up all hours checking the weather, and keeping an eye on conditions.
"Soon as it starts getting bad, we start calling guys it might be two in the morning. It might be before start bringing men in and going to work."
In addition to the long hours and getting called to work in in the middle of the night, driving one of the district's ten plow trucks can be demanding.
"You're a heavy outfit you're pushing a lot you have to be on your toes best way to describe a plow truck rattlesnake and it's always ready to bite you so you have to be paying attention on top of it all the time."
With 800 miles of road, equal to 1600 lane-miles to plow, the district has its hands full each time it storms
"Yeah we do the best we can breakdowns and everything else that happen.
Idaho Transportation Department always recommends planning ahead when the weather is rough
"We just remind people to plan ahead so if you know road conditions are gonna be hazardous plan ahead give yourself time because we'll be out there," ITD spokesperson Jesse Gwin said. "If you encounter a snowplow just remember to give yourself some distance 50 feet as it is a good rule of thumb.
And on the smaller roads, if you do get stuck, Kenny recommends trying your best to get it out of the lane of travel, or the county trucks won't be able to clear snow around it
