Road crews are out in force Friday, applying sand and salt to the roads before winter weather arrives in the Grand Rapids area.
Material will be placed along the center lines of roads where possible and the road commission says dry weather a low traffic volumes make it the perfect time to pretreat the roadways.
Whether roads are treated or not, freezing rain makes driving difficult and roads will remain icy. If you can stay home, it is a good idea to do just that.
The U.S. National Weather Service in Grand Rapids forecasts better conditions Saturday.
The Kent County Road Commission would like to remind you of the following:
- KCRC crews are trained and ready to respond to winter storms, and motorists can do a lot to help keep both themselves and our drivers safe.DO NOT CROWD THE PLOW: MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCE
- Snowplows are large and operators cannot see directly behind the truck.
- SLOW DOWN WHEN YOU SEE A SNOW PLOW
- Snow plows travel at a slower speed; the most common crashes are motorists hitting the rear end of the plow. Stay alert and watch for a plow’s green and amber lights.
- DO NOT PASS PLOW ON RIGHT
- Plows push snow to the right shoulder and many are equipped with a wing plow – a 6-8 foot extension on the right-hand side of the plow. This wing is difficult to see and can do harm to a passing car.
- DO NOT PASS IN A SNOW CLOUD
- Be sure the road ahead is clear of vehicles or snowdrifts before attempting to pass on the left. A snow cloud could be caused by crosswinds or by a snowplow, so be patient.
- REMEMBER: PLOWS DO MORE THAN PLOW
- Plow trucks also spread salt and deicing agents may spray your car. Maintain a safe distance between your car and the snowplow and be extremely cautious when passing on the left. Remember - do NOT pass a snow plow on the right.
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