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Plow drivers working overnight to keep morning commute safe

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Just because streets were cleared by time you drove home on Monday doesn’t mean they’ll be that way on Tuesday.

The Indianapolis Dept. of Public Works had more than 60 trucks working Monday. They’ve been active since 11 p.m. Saturday. The Indiana Dept. of Transportation had 55 trucks specifically working in Marion County.

It’s takes a lot of work to get roads in working condition so people like Dan Dugan can get to work.

“I was on I-465 from Southport to Emerson all the around to I-69 north and took 69 up to Muncie,” he said, explaining his adventure on Indiana’s highways today.

Dugan makes his living traveling across central Indiana, which hasn’t been easy thanks to Sunday’s snow.

He said, “We still got clients we have to take care of. It snow’s but the world doesn’t stop.” In some cases it gets busier.

Looking down at the Indy Snow Force Map, DPW spokesperson Jennifer Hashem explained their plan of attack.

Trucks were consistently plowing and salting main thoroughfares likes Washington Street since those have the most commuters. The map also indicated that trucks were continuously targeting downtown. “Those are the streets that people use. Whether that’s going to school, going home, going to work, we want to make sure those are clear so people are able to travel safely,” she said.

Secondary streets got some attention as the day went on, but roads like Pleasant Run Parkway were still caked in ice. We cruised through downtown without any problems and so did most drivers along I-65.

INDOT said its biggest concern is the potential for drifting snow in the morning, especially along highways that travel north and south. Dugan will be taking I-65 north up to Rensselaer Tuesday and knows the challenges the weather could bring him.

“If it’s too bad we’ll just postpone it until the next day,” he said.

An INDOT spokesman said much of the ice that plagued highways like I-69 near Anderson had melted thanks to a combination of salt, plowing, and rising ground temperatures.

Because INDOT said it was expecting winds to top 30 miles per hour, plow drivers will focus on keeping the snow from drifting onto highways and state roads for most of Tuesday morning.