INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Transportation and Indianapolis Department of Public Works are getting ready for the winter storm expected to move through the area overnight.
A winter storm warning has been issued for Wednesday from 1 a.m. until 7 p.m. The rest of the state is under a winter weather advisory. This all means that slick roads are likely throughout the storm.
INDOT and DPW crews will work around the clock to get the streets cleared. In Indianapolis, DPW will have more than 60 trucks out with about 80 crew members working 12-hour shifts. Across central Indiana, INDOT will have 56 drivers working 12-hour shifts along with six tow plows for clearing and salting highways.
A DPW spokesperson said they are most concerned with the rate of snow that is going to fall overnight. They are expecting it to hit hard around 2 a.m. INDOT said its drivers will be out starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
An INDOT spokesperson said the timing of the snow is important. With the storm hitting overnight, that should mean fewer people are out on the roads when plow drivers are working.
”That really does allow our crews to have more space, especially with those tow plows, a lot of people see that and don’t know how to react to our tow plows,” said Kyleigh Cramer, INDOT’s Public Relations Director.
If travel is necessary, INDOT says people should slow down, increase following distance, don’t crowd plow trucks, allow extra time to reach your destination, and pack an emergency kit with supplies such as blankets, extra clothing, snacks, water and a phone charger.