Wintry weather keeps Milwaukee DPW crews busy salting and plowing all day Thursday

Name: Wintry weather keeps road crews salting, plowing and towing throughout the day
Uploaded: 2015-01-08T22:11:26-06:00
Description: Wintry weather keeps road crews salting, plowing and towing throughout the day

Wintry weather keeps Milwaukee DPW crews busy salting and plowing all day Thursday

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Snowfall on Thursday, January 8th had crews working hard clearing the roads, and some stepped up to help drivers who got stuck or involved in crashes. The snow was expected to impact the evening rush as it continued to fall into the evening. Milwaukee DPW crews were working hard to plow and salt, though they are still in "salt conservation mode."

It was slow-going Thursday as drivers navigated the snow-covered roads. A FOX6 News crew saw some struggling on the city's East Side.

"I saw some woman who was struggling to get her car up the hill (at Jefferson, near Lyon) and I figured I'd help push her up. It's kind of crazy how much snow we got all of a sudden, and it's still coming down. I don't know how many people I'm going to help, but I have to work in two hours!" Marty Bridge said.

Bridge, an MSOE student asked for nothing in return.

"This is Wisconsin. It's the Midwest. It's how it works. Just try to help people out when you can," Bridge said.

For many motorists, the snow wasn't the problem. Instead, it was the cold temperatures and their vehicle's response to them.

This has been quite the week for towing companies.

"On Monday we did 290 calls, which was a shop record for us. Tuesday we did 255. (Wednesday) was 225 -- so we're well on pace for that (Thursday)," said Peter Caldwell, a supervisor at Grube's Towing.

Caldwell says usually on a busy day they'd get about 70 calls. So needless to say, these super cold temperatures, with the addition of snow, means big business for Grube's.

Cory Stuettgen started at about 6:00 a.m. and he was busy throughout the day -- mainly starting engines.

Caldwell says besides jumping cars due to battery issues, they were busy changing a lot of tires.

"With the tire pressures, that changes as the cold comes. Most people know that their tires will fluctuate a little bit in pressure as we start to get colder. Now we get really cold and that air leaks out of those tires pretty quickly," said Caldwell.

Stuettgan says so far, customers have been glad to see him!

Meanwhile, the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works had 108 salt trucks on the roads as the snow continued to fall on Thursday.

Officials say those 108 trucks were spreading a mixture of salt with calcium chloride -- which is a combination that's more effective in colder temperatures. The trucks were also equipped with plows.

"We have 108 trucks on the roads. They are salting and plowing -- currently concentrating on the main streets. The liquid calcium should help (the salt) to be a bit more effective -- to prevent the ice from forming on the pavement. We'll be plowing as necessary, once the snowfall depths get to about an inch. This type of snow is a very fine, powdery snow that just doesn't respond well to the salt/calcium mix. It's almost like you have flour on your flooring. You sweep it and it just kind of blows all over. Drive safely, drive for winter road conditions and everyone should get home safely. When people get up in the morning, we expect a smooth ride in," Wand a Booker with the city of Milwaukee DPW said.

Booker says despite the snow, the city of Milwaukee remains in salt conservation mode after a salt shortage last year.

"We are in salt conservation mode -- which means we are applying salt at a lower rate on main (streets) and particular residential (streets). We are just salting at the stops and intersections -- so the long sections of the street we are just plowing so people can get in and out. We don't want to run out (of salt). To ensure the city of Milwaukee has an adequate salt supply to get through the remainder of January, February, March, and part of April, we have to ration our salt so we have enough salt," Booker said.

Booker says drivers just need to exercise caution.

"People just need to drive for winter road conditions. I saw many accidents. People were simply driving too fast. SLOW DOWN," Booker said.