BOZEMAN — A record dry season for Bozeman has us wondering—what are snowplow drivers up to? And how are they preparing for the winter conditions to come?
"So, we have a very small window to get everything prepped and ready to go for winter. That window is pretty wide this year for us. So, we’re able to take care of a lot more pre-maintenance issues than we have been in the past," says Matt Workman, Assistant Street Superintendent at the Bozeman city shop.
He gives us a rundown of the work they’re doing to prepare. "3 am is when a majority of our crew comes out to do all the arterials and collectors streets, and those are the streets where everyone travels to and from work out of the neighborhoods and gets around town."
But without any snow, a snowplow driver’s day looks a little different.
"We're also doing a lot of maintenance right now to the streets. Potholing, alleyway maintenance, stormwater—cleaning out intakes and curb chases so we don’t see any ponding issues when we start seeing those cooler temperatures," Workman explains.
"You know, it’s a good feeling when you’re done and everything’s nice and tidy and everyone can travel to and from wherever they want to go."
When winter conditions do set in, you can help snowplow drivers out by following these tips:
"Help us out by moving your trucks, trailers, and campers off the city streets so we can get the snow all the way to the curb line. We greatly appreciate that, and it makes our job way more efficient and faster," says Workman.
