Madison street crews pre-treat roads ahead of latest storm

January 14, 2021 2:54 PM

Jaymes Langrehr,

Posted: January 14, 2021 2:54 PM

by Jaymes Langrehr

MADISON, Wis. — The News 3 Now First Warn Weather team says it will likely be a long and messy commute home Thursday evening.

Ahead of the expected 1 to 5 inches of snow, the City of Madison says plow trucks will hit the road once the snow starts falling. They expect travel to be difficult on city streets through the Friday morning commute.

A total of 32 plow trucks will be dispatched once it starts snowing, once again focusing on the main thoroughfares through the city. Those roads will be plowed and salted as needed, circling through those salt routes as long as it’s snowing. Three additional trucks will focus on applying sand for traction on hills, curves and intersections that are not considered a part of the city’s salt routes.

Snow Plowing Update: When the snow starts falling, the Streets Division plow trucks will start rolling. Traveling through Madison will likely be difficult for the evening commute and on through the night and into Friday, so be sure to make good… https://t.co/jFk6JuL00E

— CityofMadison Winter (@MadisonWinter) January 14, 2021

The city says it was able to pre-treat a number of roads with saltwater brine ahead of the current storm system. That brine should make it easier for crews to clear roads as it will prevent snow from sticking to the roads.

Most residential streets will likely remain snow-covered during and after the storm, as the city will only plow them if there is more than three inches of snow on the road. Depending on how much snow ends up falling in the Madison area, some areas may not be plowed following the storm.

The city says it will update the status of their plow operations if needed over the next day.