Columbus leaders say they're ready to tackle snow clearing

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Plans are in place across central Ohio to clear Wednesday’s snow as quickly and safely as possible.

Dozens of plow trucks will be out in Columbus, placed at different points across the city, already loaded up, so they can hit the roads as soon as they need to.

“We are taking an aggressive approach to make sure we’re prepared for what may come, whether that’s all snow or a little bit of snow then the whole kitchen sink,” said Scott Tourville, the city’s infrastructure management administrator.

According to the city, its crews are responsible for more than 4,700 miles of roads. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther also said there’s a plan to get to residential areas quicker.

“We are fully prepared for anything that may come,” Tourville said.

He said there will be at least 70 plows operated by the Columbus Department of Public Service employees, with about two dozen additional drivers from other departments plowing in pickup trucks.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make that morning commute as best we can, but again, we can’t control Mother Nature,” Tourville said.

Ginther said the goal with those additional trucks is to get to residential areas faster. According to the mayor, they’ve made a difference in other storms this year.

“Obviously there's only so much they can do,” he said. “We only have so many of them. They can only work so many hours at a time, so continue to be patient but hold us accountable.”

Plow drivers won’t be the only ones on central Ohio roads early in the morning. School superintendents will be checking conditions before deciding if schools will be open.

“We want all students to be safe, but it is a difficult decision, not one I ever take lightly and obviously, we want the kids to be in school,” said Highland Local Schools Superintendent Nathan Huffman. “Now I’m sure a lot of them, they do enjoy their snow days, that's for sure, but kids’ safety is always number one.”

As always, and this applies no matter where you see a plow, Ginther is reminding people to give them plenty of room to work.

To track Columbus snow plow progress or to check what priority level your street is, click here.