From the Indiana Department of Transportation:
Over the next 48 hours, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will be deploying more than 1,100 plow trucks to plow and treat interstates, U.S. routes, and state roads, as nearly all of Indiana is expected to receive significant snow accumulation from a major winter storm.
The National Weather Service is predicting between 6 to 12 inches of snow across almost all of Indiana from Sunday evening through Tuesday afternoon. A first wave of snow will enter the state from the west at around 10 p.m. ET Sunday evening, becoming heavy and more widespread after midnight. This snow is expected to impact the Monday morning commute. A second wave of snow is expected late Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning.
INDOT crews will begin patrolling highways by 8 p.m. Sunday and will remain active through the winter storm. Keep in mind, plow trucks generally travel about 25 to 30 miles per hour and it takes between two to three hours to complete a snow route.
INDOT has the following resources to respond to this winter weather event:
- More than 1,100 plow trucks
- 200,000 tons of salt
- 100,000 gallons of brine
- More than 1,800 employees on call covering 28,000 lane miles
Motorists are urged to stay off the roads during the winter storm if possible, to give plow drivers plenty of room to safely clear snow and ice.
If you must travel:
- Slow down and stay behind the snowplows. The road behind the plow will be the safest place to drive. Allow at least ten car lengths between your vehicle and snowplows or hopper spreaders.
- Do not pass. The plows are wide, and sometimes a group of trucks will work in tandem to clear snow quickly, especially on major highways.
- Be particularly aware of black ice conditions on surfaces such as bridge decks and entrance and exit ramps.
- Due to extremely cold temperatures and sub-zero wind chills, salt will take longer to melt snow and ice. Blowing and drifting may also push snow back on to recently plowed routes.
- Four-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes and traction control are beneficial in winter weather, BUT they cannot take the place of good driving habits and the need to reduce speed on snowy or icy roads.
- Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle in case you’re stranded and keep a cell phone charged in case you need to call for help.