Indy Crews Work Long Shifts as Snow Cleanup Continues
INDIANAPOLIS — Indy road crews are entering their fourth straight day of snow removal as a weekend storm left uneven totals across the city and forced workers into continuous 12-hour shifts, officials said Monday.
“We’ve been busy really since Friday,” said Adam Pinsker, spokesman for the Department of Public Works. “We had snow on Saturday afternoon, and we’ve had guys working 12-hour shifts since then — 12 on, 12 off.”
Pinsker said crews stayed on the roads throughout the holiday weekend. “While most of us were home or shopping with our families, they were out just working their tails off,” he said.
Snowfall varied significantly across Indianapolis, creating cleanup challenges. “We had different parts of town like the north side get about 2 inches, and parts of the south side saw 4 to 5 inches,” Pinsker said. “If you see certain areas that have a bit more snow on the road than others, that’s one of the reasons why.”
Crews had used roughly 3,000 tons of salt as of Monday morning. “We’ve been out taking care of major thoroughfares — Keystone Avenue, Castleton Boulevard — and making sure areas around hospitals and fire stations are clear,” Pinsker said. After that, crews focus on secondary streets, school zones, and areas near city offices.
A new team was set to take over at 11 a.m. Monday for another 12-hour shift. “They’ll be working until 11 p.m. tonight,” Pinsker said. “They’ll be monitoring for any slick spots and refreezing.”
He warned that temperatures dropping after sunset could create similar conditions to those seen over the weekend. “It got kind of cold after that snowfall Saturday and into Sunday, so we have to keep an eye on that,” he said.
Pinsker urged drivers to continue using caution. “If you’re at work today, use the same kind of caution heading home this afternoon that you used coming in this morning,” he said, adding that drivers should give crews “plenty of space to work with the heavy equipment and plows.”
Another round of winter weather is possible later this week, meaning operations may continue.
