Plow Drivers Work Overnight to Clear Roads after Blizzard

Wednesday's big snowstorm made for a long night for Westlake Services Department road crews.

Chris Stuhm, the city's deputy director of public services, said that crews would be working all night to clear and salt the roads around town.

"The last few hours this afternoon were hard to keep up," Stuhm said of the period of the heaviest snowfall. "But we're hearing it's supposed to end sooner than they thought, so that's good for us."

Even with people braving the storm to do their post-Christmas shopping and entertainment, Stuhm said the work of clearing the roads was much easier than normal.

"If it had been a typical weekday with everyone going to and from work, even if school was closed, it would have been harder and taken longer," he said. "The trucks would have been in traffic with everyone else."

The city has 38 trucks with plows, and 16 of those can also spread salt. Stuhm said that an average of 24 trucks were out at any given time during the day on Tuesday.

Stuhm reminded drivers to stay back from plows and salt trucks at least 50 feet.

"It's like tractor trailers," he said. "If you can't see their mirrors, they can't see you."