Ice causes headaches for drivers, municipalities

Old man winter has come to visit and he appears to be an unwanted guest as the snow and ice cause hazardous conditions.
The thawing and freezing temperatures with a bit of ice mixed in are becoming the bane of existence for the local highway and street departments. 
Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff said many times the weather conditions play a big factor in how much plowing the county does. The department began plowing and trying to remove as much snow as possible before the ice. Once the ice sets in the snow trucks are like other vehicles and can easily slide off the roads. 
The county spreads a mixture of sand and salt as they plow the roads, mostly in intersections. Ruff said in freezing conditions the salt doesn’t work — sunny and above freezing are more ideal conditions for the salt to melt the ice. 
Ruff said the county has ordered approximately 75 more tons of salt that will be mixed with sand. 
Winamac Town Manager Brad Zellers said Winamac has plenty of salt that is sometimes mixed with sand. Zellers said mixing the salt with the sand causes the sand to drain into the catch basins that then has to be vacuumed in the spring, causing additional manpower hours. Salt does not cause the same problem because it dissolves. 
The town plows about 25 miles of roadway with more equipment then they have had in the past. When plowing does occur it’s an all-town-departments task. 
Zellers reminds those in town to shovel their sidewalks. It is a town ordinance to shovel the sidewalks in front of their homes.
Zellers asked for residents to be patient as the town tries to clear the roads.