Crews to salt roads amid freezing rain forecast

Ninety truck drivers from the city’s Department of Public Works will hit local streets at 11 p.m. Friday to begin salting streets amid forecasts of freezing rain.

Forecasts call for a chance of light freezing rain late Friday through early Saturday, noted DPW spokesman Scott Manning.

“The freezing rain combined with below-freezing pavement temperatures could result in ice accumulation of up to one-quarter of an inch,” Manning said in a release. “Even a trace amount of ice accumulation can cause slick driving conditions, especially at night when patches of ice can be difficult for drivers to see.”

The National Weather Service predicts the freezing rain will arrive in the Indianapolis after 1 a.m. Saturday and continue through 6 a.m.

Temperatures will be above freezing on Saturday and Sunday with rain expected both days.

DPW’s “Indy Snow Force” would activate an additional shift of 90 drivers to continue salting streets into Saturday afternoon if necessary, Manning said. The overall crew is composed of 180 drivers, he said.

“Drivers are encouraged to take it slow, leave extra time to arrive at destinations, and respect plow trucks by giving them plenty of room to work,” he said.

City residents may sign up for email updates at www.indy.gov/snow and use the new Indy Snow Force Viewer to help plan their commutes, he noted.

Call Star reporter Bill McCleery at (317) 444-6083. Follow him on Twitter: @BillMcCleery01.