INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Department of Public Works is currently working to clear off roads still covered in snow from the recent winter storm.
Indy DPW says primary and secondary streets are in good shape, its focus now is on connector streets.
“Crews are out. They’re still on these 12-hour shifts trying to cover as much ground as we can as quick as we can," Chief Communications Officer Kyle Bloyd said.
Indy has about 300 miles of connector streets — roads connecting large, dense residential areas to main thoroughfares.
70 plow truck drivers have been out on the roads at all times tackling this task.
“In addition to getting those connectors cleaned up, we’re doing some game plowing around town as well. Clean up, intersections, turn lanes and other places too," Bloyd said.
But in neighborhoods like Meridian-Kessler, many streets are untouched.
“If you wanna build a snowman, there’s plenty of snow…in the street to take care of that," resident Pamela Konchinsky said.
She lives on Crestview Drive, by Broad Ripple Middle School.
“Every day at 9 o’clock and 4 o’clock there's 10 school buses from Broad Ripple Middle School, and no one has cleared the street," Konchinsky said.
She is concerned about the safety of the children riding those buses.
“There’s no traffic signal here at the intersection of Crestview and Kessler, so even the school buses get stuck right there. If you don’t get a running start, you get stuck there at the corner as well. It’s not plowed," she said.
Bloyd says Indy DPW crews are working as fast as they can.
And with another round of snow expected Friday, crews are spread thin.
“These people have been working constant 12-hour shifts since Saturday night, folks probably put in 48 hours of work already this week. It’s hard on the crews and it’s hard on the machinery," he said.
Indy DPW says contractors will not be activated to remove snow on residential streets.
This decision comes after a close examination of current and future winter conditions, with plowing of residential streets creating an increased probability for icing, including black ice.
