Sauk Valley snow crews out in full force for winter storm

As Sauk Valley residents braced for the winter storm, fleets of snow plows were out battling weather hazards to make travel conditions safer.

Government and transportation officials are urging commuters to limit travel and exercise caution when sharing the road with snow plows.

City snow plows will be running their routes into the evening, and most street departments only have one crew of drivers, meaning they’re not able to provide coverage throughout the night. Sterling will run half the team on 12-hour shifts if needed, according to the department.

Drivers should be patient, especially with plows on county roads.

“We urge the public to be patient with our plows and try to give them some distance. Remember that a plow truck’s visibility is worse than yours, and we want everyone to remain safe,” Lee County Engineer Dave Anderson said.

As conditions worsen throughout the evening, officials suggest traveling as early as possible.

“With the high winds blowing and drifting snow, it can be hard to keep the salt down and roads cleared even when we are actively on top of it,” Whiteside County Engineer Russell Renner said. “Ideally, we ask people to try and stay off the roads as much as they can after early evening, and remember, we can’t keep everything open for good.”

Thanks to last year’s milder winter, most street departments are well stocked with salt leftover from last season, which serves as an additional benefit considering the current rise in salt prices. The Lee County Highway Department experienced a $44 per ton increase since last year, from $64 to $108. Street departments are required to purchase 80% of their original salt orders regardless of how the previous winter played out.