Officials with the Berrien County Road Department say crews are continuing around-the-clock efforts to keep roads passable as ongoing snowfall and strong winds make clearing operations more difficult.
Managing Director Mark Heyliger said road workers are focused on cutting paths through the snow so residents can travel as safely as possible, but persistent conditions are slowing progress.
“The crews are working to clear the roads and punch a hole through all of the snow so that people can move freely,” Heyliger said. “The rate of snow that’s falling is hampering our efforts to get things clear and stay clear, and wind has played a big factor.”
The department is responsible for maintaining roughly 1,500 miles of county roadway, a task Heyliger said takes time, especially during extended winter weather events.
He urged drivers to be patient and to give snowplows plenty of room to operate.
“The main factor here is just patience,” Heyliger said. “It takes time for us to cover the 1,500 miles of the county road network. Stay back from the plows and just be patient, please.”
Road crews are also applying materials to improve traction, typically a mix of salt and sand. However, Heyliger noted that extremely cold temperatures limit how effective salt can be.
“We’re always putting some material down on the road, normally a salt-sand mix,” he said. “But salt loses its effectiveness when it gets below freezing, so it doesn’t work quite as well.”
Heyliger thanked residents for their understanding as crews continue working through the winter conditions.
“We’ll get through this,” he said.
—
Image credit: Berrien County Road Department.
