GARDEN CITY, Idaho — Winter weather is making its way into Idaho and the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) gave its crews a practice run for responding to snowy and icy conditions.
Supervisors called operators around two in the morning on November 14 to simulate an actual snow event.
"The operators will come in, they'll check the equipment, they'll load everything up. Should we have an issue, they're bringing equipment into our fleet departments, which are here to help fix things and make sure that everything's running properly," said Lloyd Carnegie, maintenance manager for ACHD.
Plow operators and support staff came in, attended a safety briefing and inspected their vehicles before loading up and hitting the streets to run assigned routes.
"It gives our operators another opportunity to get used to the equipment, how to load and unload the Sanders, the plows to drive their routes late at night, because it's a whole different animal this time of day, and just gives them more practice before that first snowfall," Carnegie said.
Out on the streets, crews familiarize themselves routes and look for any obstacles.
And with safety in mind, Carnegie shared a reminder for drivers when plows are on the road.
“We really highly recommend the public give our plows a lot of space. We do have signs on the back of them saying, 'stay back 30 feet'. That's definitely a safety precaution. As they are putting material out, they're also trying to make that road safe for that traveling public. So the more room you give them, the safer it is," Carnegie said.
Here are some other safety tips for driving during winter months:
- Give yourself extra time to get where you need to go.
- Have your ice scrappers handy and clear your windows before driving.
- Make sure to have an emergency kit in your car with water, a blanket, first aid kit, and a flashlight.
- Check your tires for proper traction for driving in wet and slick road conditions.
Check out ACHD’s winter operations resources web page.