Crews working around the clock to plow snow, slush

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) - As the latest winter storm continues dumping snow across most of the Capital Region, snowplows have been out in full force to keep roads safe. In Clifton Park, crews have been out since 3 o'clock Friday morning and will continue until the storm passes.

"We were very fortunate that it stayed rain and the roads didn’t immediately freeze over, that’s always a good thing," said Dahn Bull, the Superintendent of Highways for Clifton Park.

Bull says it's all hands on deck for this storm. With snow expected to continue falling through Saturday morning, it's been a tough schedule for everyone who's worked to make the town's roads as safe as possible.

"Everyone talks about material and money and the most important things, it really comes down to the people. Our people are our most important resource, we have to make sure they’re safe and that they’re operating in a safe manner. Sometimes that means that we have to stop for a few hours, get a nap, take a rest and then get back on the roads," the superintendent explains.

Members of Clifton Park's Highway Department cover well over a hundred miles of roads across the town. While state and county maintenance workers tend to operate in shifts, municipalities like Clifton Park don't have that ability.

"We don’t have shifts. In a town our size, everyone is here and we can’t plow the whole town without everybody," Bull said.

A mix of rain and snow transitioned to just snow in Clifton Park before noon Friday. The wet and heavy accumulating snow, Bull says, can be even more difficult to clear.

While plows have been working around the clock to clear snow and slush, the superintendent encourages everyone to avoid any unnecessary travel until after the storm has passed.

"We always ask people to be patient, and in instances like this, where it’s really nasty out and slushy, if you don’t have to go anywhere, don’t," he said.

Anyone who needs to travel Friday night and early Saturday morning is reminded to give plows plenty of room to operate. Motorists should also remember conditions behind a plow are typically better than what's ahead.