Plow drivers ask public to be patient when winter weather hits

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - As winter approaches, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) staff are hard at work, making sure they are ready for upcoming storms. By storing salt and inspecting vehicles, they are trying to minimize any future issues.

Highway maintainer Zachary Van Meter is getting ready for another year operating a snow plow. It's a job that requires a lot of multitasking and focus, even during 12-hour shifts.

"You're looking at a lot between the temperature gauge, brake pressure, speedometer, tachometer," Van Meter said. "We're going to move a lot slower, but we're doing the best that we can to make the roads as safe as we possibly can. That's our ultimate goal."

Van Meter said one of the elements of plows that people don't always understand is how wide they are. On the truck he drives, his plow is as wide as or wider than most lanes. This is something drivers can forget when wanting to pass a plow.

One of Van Meter's fellow highway maintainers is Chris Merriman. He emphasizes the importance of patience on the road, as he was hit by a driver while in his plow.

"Needless to say, I was scared to death," Merriman said. "Folks tend to follow us a little too closely. There's times you look back and it's like, 'Where did they come from?' It's very startling to us."

Both Van Meter and Merriman acknowledged that it can be frustrating to be stuck behind a plow or to have to wait for them to clear a street. By giving the plows a clear area to work with, you're actually speeding up the process.

"We want to get that road clean as soon as possible, and we don't want to be out there any more than anybody else," Merriman said. "We want to get them cleaned off and make sure everyone has a safe trip to work."

IDOT keeps an updated website of road conditions across the state. When weather hits, you can check to see what current conditions are.

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