City leaders urge residents to stay off roads as Indiana braces for snowstorm

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — City leaders are urging people to stay away from the roads ahead of the winter storm about to hit Indiana.

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works will have around 80 trucks and other equipment on the roads to help.

According to Ted Funk, the meteorologist-in-charge for Indianapolis National Weather Service has been lucky so far.

“We’ve seen very little snow. It’s Feb. 1,” Funk said.

He also says that’s going to change. 

“Make no mistake about it. This is going to be a major winter storm that we’ll be dealing with for the next two days,” Funk said.

Mayor Joe Hogsett says travelers can expect treacherous road conditions.

“Starting Wednesday evening at the latest, drivers should stay off the roads if at all possible,” Hogsett said.

Public Works is also preparing for the dangerous weather and sending a warning to drivers.

“We have over 11,000 tons of salt available for this event,” Public Works director Dan Parker said. “Most of our barns are at full capacity.”

“We don’t put salt down to watch the rain wash it away, so please, if you don’t have to be out starting tomorrow afternoon, please do not get out and drive on the streets,” Parker added.

Parker made it clear clearing the streets will take time.

“With the kind of snowfall that’s expected in terms of speed, it is going to take time to clear the streets. People should not expect a clear, bare pavement street Thursday morning,” he said.

Public Works says it has outside contractors on standby to help clear out side streets, but there’s no timetable on when they would start.